On the morning of 11 July 2022, the Launch Ceremony of “You Make the World a Beautiful Place” Global Call for Visual Stories (Qinghai), co-hosted by the ASEAN-China Centre (ACC), China International Communication Group (CICG) and the Publicity Department of CPC Qinghai Provincial Committee, was held in Xining.

More than 100 people attended the ceremony, including Mr. Wang Da’nan, Member of the Standing Committee and Head of Publicity Department of CPC Qinghai Provincial Committee, Mr. Arthayudh Srisamoot, Ambassador of Thailand to China, Mrs. Khamphao Ernthavanh, Ambassador of Lao PDR to China, Mr. Gao Anming, Vice President and Editor-in-Chief of CICG, Mr. Chen Dehai, Secretary-General of ACC, Mr. Song Jiangtao, Deputy Head of the Publicity Department of the CPC Qinghai Provincial Committee and Director of the Qinghai Information Office, diplomats from 10 ASEAN Member States (AMS), officials from related departments of Qinghai Provincial Government and representatives of ASEAN and Chinese media.

Mr. Wang Da’nan said that the launch ceremony of “You Make the World a Beautiful Place” Global Call for Visual Stories held in Qinghai Province is not only a vibrant practice of the principles put forward by President Xi Jinping, but also a solid step toward the constitution of the community of a shared future between China and ASEAN. He hoped that Qinghai Province would promote the exchanges and cooperation with AMS in the area of economy, trade, culture resources, ecological protection and media, and he welcomed more attention of friends from AMS to Qinghai. 

Ambassador Arthayudh Srisamoot said in his speech that it is particularly fitting that the event is held in Qinghai Province, home to the headwaters of Yangtze, Yellow and Lancang-Mekong River, also called the “Water Tower of China”. ASEAN and China have always had dynamic and constructive cooperation with each other. The ASEAN-China Comprehensive Strategic Partnership promotes a conducive environment towards a sustainable future and also helps achieve strategic trust in the region. Thailand looks forward to the many activities planned under the ASEAN-China Year of Sustainable Development Cooperation, contributing to a more resilient and sustainable region.

Mr. Gao Anming said that China and ASEAN have been the important partners of cooperation on ecological protection and climate change. Qinghai Province is home to the headwater of the Lancang-Mekong River, which connects numerous people in China and Southeast Asian nations along the route. The launch ceremony today also reflects the efforts of both sides to build a beautiful home together.

Mr. Chen Dehai said it is of great significance to carry out innovative activities such as the Global Call for Visual Stories campaign to strengthen mutual learning and cooperation among countries on ecological conservation and sustainable growth, and raise public awareness in this regard. Standing at the new starting point, ASEAN and China need to implement the consensus reached by leaders, redouble efforts to promote ecological cooperation and open a new chapter in sustainable development in the region. ACC is ready to continue to play its part as a bridge in working with all parties to promote ecological progress and sustained development in the region.

Ms. Ang Lay Ling, DCM and Minister Counsellor from the Embassy of Brunei in China, Mr. Sun Lijun, Deputy Director of Three-River-Source National Park Administration, Mr. Kevin Zhao, Vice President of China Region of Huawei Technologies, Mr. Yuk Sengponleur, Tourism Attaché from the Embassy of Cambodia in China, Mr. Hu Zhongyi, Director of China News Service Qinghai Office and Mr. Muhammad Irfan Ilmie, Chief of Indonesian ANTARA News Agency in Beijing, shared cases on ecological protection and ecological tourism with the audience.

“You Make the World a Beautiful Place” Global Call for Visual Stories was announced on the 2021 Erhai Forum on Global Ecological Civilization Construction by China Center for International Communication Development (CCICD) of CICG. The event will collect pictures, micro videos, micro documentaries, Vlogs, talk shows and other works from all over the world, among which the excellent works will be displayed at the Erhai Forum and promoted globally.