On the morning of 13 May 2022, the Opening Ceremony of Global Youth Conference 2022 (GYC 2022) was successfully held. Dr. Li Bin, Vice-Chairwoman of the National Committee of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference and Chairwoman of the China Soong Ching Ling Foundation (CSCLF), Mr. Aleksandar Vucic, President of Serbia, Mr. Taneti Maamau, President of Kiribati, Mr. Artem Shemenov, Head of the CPC Liaison Working Group of the Supreme Council of the United Russia Party, Mr. Zhang Ming, Secretary-General of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation, Mr. Rahamtalla M. Osman, Permanent Representative of the African Union to China, Mr. Siddharth Chatterjee, United Nations Resident Coordinator to China, Ms. Katja Kruger, Vice President of the Regional Council of Brittany of France, Mr. Lin Songtian, President of the Chinese People’s Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries (CPAFFC), Dr. Fu Zhenbang, Secretary of the Secretariat of the Central Committee of the Communist Youth League of China and Vice President of All-China Youth Federation (ACYF), addressed the opening ceremony via video. Mr. Li Ganjie, Secretary of the CPC Shandong Provincial Committee, delivered a keynote speech. Mr. Zhou Naixiang, Deputy Secretary of the CPC Shandong Provincial Committee and Governor of Shandong Province chaired the event.

Following the opening ceremony, the Plaque Unveiling Ceremony for 10 achievements of GYC 2022, including the ASEAN-China (Shandong) Industry-University-Research Base for Vocational Education (hereinafter referred to as “the Industry-University-Research Base”), was successfully held. The Industry-University-Research Base is jointly built by the ASEAN-China Centre (ACC), the Foreign Affairs Office of Shandong Provincial Government (Shandong FAO) and Shandong Provincial Department of Education, aiming to build a platform for vocational colleges to promote exchanges and collaboration and deepen mutual learning, as well as to strengthen cooperation between ASEAN Member States (AMS) and China in fields of talent cultivation, integration between industry and education and transformation of research achievements. Mr. Wu Dajing, Chinese Outstanding Youth Representative and Winter Olympic Champion recorded a video of greetings for this session.

Mr. Chen Dehai, Secretary-General of ACC, sent a congratulatory letter to GYC 2022 upon invitation. He stated that Shandong is an important birthplace of Chinese civilisation and a province of strong economic and educational performance, marking a new height of opening up. Youth is the most active and vital force in society to promote social progress. ACC is dedicated to enhancing friendly exchanges and pragmatic collaboration in various fields. The Industry-University-Research Base will serve as a significant platform for the exchanges and cooperation among AMS vocational colleges and Shandong counterparts and further contribute to a closer ASEAN-China Comprehensive Strategic Partnership.

With the theme of “Vibrant Shandong for Shared Future”, GYC 2022 is co-organised by CPAFFC, ACYF, CSCLF and Shandong Provincial Government, undertaken by Shandong FAO, Shandong People’s Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries, Shandong Youth Federation, Shandong Provincial Department of Education, Shandong Provincial Department of Culture and Tourism, China International Youth Exchange Center and the Center for China and Globalization. Over 5,000 youth representatives, international friends and guests from 48 countries gathered online and offline for discussions on friendship, cooperation and future development.