- Secretary- General Chen Dehai of the ASEAN-China Centre,

- Mr.Liu Jinsong, Director-General of the Department of Asian Affairs, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the People’s Republic of China,

- Officials from Government Ministries in China,

- Excellencies, Colleagues from ASEAN,

- Friends, Ladies and Gentlemen.

Good afternoon.

We, ASEAN, would like to express our heartfelt congratulations to Secretary- General Chen Dehai, officials and all staffs at the ASEAN-China Centre on this momentum celebration of the 10th Anniversary of the Establishment of the ASEAN- China Centre.

We would like to also convey our sincere appreciations to all Secretaries-General and officers at the ACC, former and current, for their commitments and contributions towards promoting ASEAN-China relations.

We also take this opportunity to reiterate our appreciations to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the People’s Republic of China for making the establishment of the Centre possible, both through financial contributions and assigning specialists from relevant agencies in China, such as Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ministry of Education and Ministry of Culture and Tourism, to the ACC.

The ASEAN- China Centre has acted as a bridge in connecting the common interests of ASEAN and China. The ACC is also an “ambassador” in promoting the mutual interests of ASEAN and China in a wide range of areas including in trade and

investment, tourism, education, culture and media.

Not only that, the work of the ACC has also been focused, targeted and aligned with the themes of cooperation set forth by Leaders of ASEAN and China.

The ACC’s communications with the ASEAN-Japan Centre and ASEAN-Korea Centre in seeking synergy amongst the three centres, would particularly contribute to initiatives under the ASEAN Plus Three cooperation.

Despite challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemics, the ACC still managed to exercise innovation through taking advantage of technology and digitalization in carrying out its mandate.

All these efforts no doubt will continue to contribute towards the much-valued ASEAN-China Comprehensive Strategic Partnership, as acknowledged in the Joint Statement of the ASEAN-China Special Summit on 22 November 2021 [to quote] on the positive role the ASEAN-China Centre has played in promoting socio-cultural and people-to-people exchanges between ASEAN and China [end of quote].

Excellencies, Ladies and Gentlemen,

This year ASEAN and China also celebrate our 30 years of relations. During Brunei Darussalam’s Chairmanship this year, we have worked closely with China, including with the ASEAN-China Centre in a series of activities to commemorate this meaningful relation.

To keep the good momentum going, meetings and discussions across all levels were held throughout the year in charting the future directions of our relations, for many more 30 years to come.

We, the JEB members in Beijing, will continue to extend our full support to the work of the ACC towards an enhanced ASEAN-China Comprehensive Strategic Partnership for peace, security, prosperity and sustainable development of our people and region.

On behalf of ASEAN, we once again congratulate the ASEAN-China Centre for your strong commitment as well as all your good work over the past decade.

We also expressed once more, our appreciation to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of China for placing ASEAN as a priority in China’s foreign policy, for your support in ASEAN Centrality and ASEAN Unity, and in seeking synergy for China’s initiatives with ASEAN’s initiatives.

As we are approaching the new year, I wish everyone a Happy New Year and may everyone be blessed with good health and happiness. Thank you.