On 23 March 2023, the opening ceremony of the China (Shandong)-Indonesia Investment, Trade, Culture & Tourism Exchange Week was successfully held in Dezhou, Shandong Province. Mr. Deng Yunfeng, Vice Governor of Shandong Province, H.E. Ambassador Djauhari Oratmangun of Indonesia to China, H.E. Secretary General Shi Zhongjun of the ASEAN-China Centre (ACC), and Mr. Zhu Kaiguo, Deputy Secretary of the Municipal Party Committee and Mayor of Dezhou, attended and addressed the opening ceremony.

In his speech, Secretary General Shi noted that since the dialogue relations between ASEAN and China were launched in early 1990s, the two sides have deepened political mutual trust and established the comprehensive strategic partnership. The ASEAN-China ties have entered the fast lane of development. Indonesia is the largest country in terms of land area, population and economic volume among the 10 ASEAN Member States (AMS). In recent years, under the strategic guidance of the heads of state of the two countries, the China-Indonesia relations have maintained a strong momentum of development, and the two sides are striving towards building a China-Indonesia community with a shared future. Bilateral economic and trade cooperation has developed rapidly. Exchanges and cooperation in such areas as culture, education and tourism have enhanced mutual understanding and friendship and built a stronger bond between the two peoples. The “China (Shandong)-Indonesia Investment, Trade and Cultural Tourism Exchange Week” held in Dezhou will further deepen mutual understanding between Shandong Province and Indonesia and serve as an important platform for both sides to enhance friendship and promote cooperation. The ACC will continue to play the role of a bridge to support, publicise and participate in the exchanges and cooperation between AMS and Shandong Province in various fields, so as to contribute to the sustained and sound development of ASEAN-China Comprehensive Strategic Partnership.

Secretary General Shi launched the “China (Shandong)-Indonesia Investment, Trade and Cultural Tourism Exchange Week” together with other leaders at the opening ceremony, and inaugurated the “Dezhou·ASEAN International Government Affairs Services Zone”.

The China (Shandong)-Indonesia University Exchange Seminar was successfully held on the afternoon of 23 March. Ambassador Djauhari Oratmangun, Secretary General Shi Zhongjun, Prof. Nizam, Director-General of Higher Education, Research and Technology of the Ministry of Education, Culture, Research and Technology of Indonesia, and Ms. Sun Xiaoyun, Deputy Director-General of Shandong Provincial Department of Education attended and addressed the Seminar offline and online. Seven Indonesian universities represented by Bogor Agricultural University and seven Chinese universities represented by Dezhou University gave presentations and exchanged views on scientific research cooperation and talent cultivation.

Secretary General Shi extended congratulations on the establishment of China (Shandong)-Indonesia University Cooperation Alliance. He pointed out in his speech that with the Belt and Road Initiative synergizing with Indonesia’s Global Maritime Fulcrum Strategy, the cooperation between China and Indonesia in such fields as trade, infrastructure construction, information technology and people-to-people exchanges is growing in an all-round and steady way. Higher education plays an important role in regional development. It is hoped that the alliance member universities shall take this Seminar as an opportunity to deepen exchanges and explore new pathways for cooperation in such areas as two-way study abroad and exchange of teachers and students.

The China (Shandong)-Indonesia Investment, Trade and Cultural Tourism Exchange Week was held from 22 March to 28 March, and was co-organised by the ACC, Dezhou Municipal Government, Foreign Affairs Office of Shandong Provincial Government, Department of Education of Shandong Province, Embassy of Indonesia in China and Beijing Representative Office of Bank Indonesia. A series of activities were held both online and offline, including the opening ceremony, the Shandong (Dezhou)-Indonesia Business Matchmaking Session, the China (Shandong)-Indonesia University Exchange Seminar, the Exhibition of Tourism Pictures and Paintings in Indonesia, and the Exhibition and Sales of Featured Products of Indonesia.