On 23 July 2021, the 16th China-ASEAN Cultural Forum was held in Nanning, Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region. Ms. Sri Hajah Nancy Shukri, Minister of Tourism, Arts and Culture of Malaysia, Mr. Itthiphol Kunplome, Minister of Culture of Thailand delivered video speeches. Ms. Fan Xiaoli, Member of the Standing Committee and Head of the Publicity Department of CPC Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region Committee, Mr. Li Bin, Vice Governor of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, Mr. Xie Jinying, Director-General of Bureau of International Exchanges and Cooperation of the Ministry of Culture and Tourism of China, Ms. Natthira Krasaesarn, Minister-Counsellor of the Royal Thai Embassy in China, and consuls general of Cambodia, Lao PDR, Malaysia, Myanmar, Thailand and Viet Nam in Nanning attended the forum. Mr. Chen Dehai, Secretary-General of the ASEAN-China Centre (ACC), addressed the opening ceremony of the forum.

Ms. Fan Xiaoli said Guangxi has obvious advantages in cultural resources. Its cultural industry has stepped into a new period of development. The China-ASEAN Cultural Forum has been successfully held for 16 times, becoming an important platform for people-to-people exchanges between ASEAN and China. It is hoped that through this forum, people can share experience, discuss cooperation opportunities, enhance friendship and promote the common prosperity and development of cultural industry.

Mr. Xie Jinying stated in his remarks that China is willing to share its successful experience in promoting the development of cultural industries with ASEAN Member States (AMS) and to carry out all-round cooperation with them in fields, such as cultural creativity, animation, games, performances and exhibitions, cultural equipment manufacturing production, digital culture industry, and the integration of culture and tourism. Thus, China can make new and greater contributions to take ASEAN-China strategic partnership to a higher level.

Mr. Chen Dehai highlighted in his speech that ACC has been exploring new ways for innovation and development of cultural industry of both sides, aiming at building more platforms for exchanges and cooperation among the governments, industry associations, academics and enterprises. This year marks the 30th anniversary of the ASEAN-China dialogue relations, as well as the ASEAN-China Year of Sustainable Development Cooperation. ACC will join hands with all parties and make greater contribution to strengthen people-to-people exchanges and ties between ASEAN and China, and work hand-in-hand towards a brighter future of ASEAN-China relations.

On 22 July, Mr. Li Bin had a collective meeting with Mr. Chen Dehai and diplomatic envoys of AMS in China, and exchanged views on further deepening the exchanges and cooperation between ASEAN and China in the field of culture. 

With the theme of “High-Quality Development and International Cooperation of Cultural Industry”, the forum was co-hosted by the Ministry of Culture and Tourism of China and the People’s Government of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, and co-organized by ACC. Around 300 representatives from relevant ministries, cultural organizations, institutions, associations, academics and enterprises, attended the event in person or online. The participants had extensive and in-depth exchanges on the topics of “Shared and Win-win Development: The Path to Achieve ASEAN-China Cultural Industry Cooperation and High-Quality Development”, “Integrated Development of Culture and Tourism Industry Under the Belt and Road”. Ms. Li Yaying, Deputy Director of Education, Culture and Tourism Division of ACC, attended the above-mentioned activities.