On 27 April 2023, the Joint Executive Board (JEB) of the ASEAN-China Centre (ACC) held its first working group meeting of 2023 in Beijing. The representatives from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) of China and Embassies of the ASEAN Member States (AMS) in China as well as the persons-in-charge of the ACC divisions attended the Meeting, which was moderated by Director Sun Yi of General Affairs and Coordination Division of the ACC, and co-chaired by Minister Counsellor Irwansyah Mukhlisthe Embassy of Indonesia, the rotating ASEAN chair, and Counsellor Li Xin of Department of Asian Affairs of MFA of China.

Director Sun Yi thanked the JEB members for their strong support to the ACC. He said that this year marks the 20th anniversary of China's accession to the Treaty of Amity and Cooperation in Southeast Asia as well as the ASEAN-China Year of Agricultural Development and Food Security Cooperation. The ACC stands ready to strengthen communication and collaboration with all JEB members and actively carry out activitiesunder guidance of the Joint Council and the JEB. The ACC will continue to implement the important consensus reached by leaders on both sides and deepen friendly exchanges and practical cooperation between both sides in various fields, so as to add strength to the growth of ASEAN-China comprehensive strategic partnership.

Minister Counsellor Mukhlisnoted that ASEAN-China relations have registered remarkable and fruitful progress. H.E. President Xi Jinpingof China made a five-point proposalon building a peaceful, safe and secure, prosperous, beautiful and amicable home together and initiated a series of practical measuresto enhance ASEAN-China relations. ASEAN highly appreciates China’s support to ASEAN community building efforts, ASEAN’s post-pandemicrecovery initiatives and China's commitment to deepening people-to-people exchanges between both sides. As the rotating ASEAN chair, Indonesia is willing to work with other AMS and China to better tap opportunities resulted from the full entry-into-force of the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) to enhance economic activities and trade, strengthen supply chain connectivity and advance cooperation in digital economy and e-commerce. Indonesia has full confidence in the ACC's consistent role as a linking bridge in undertaking activities to execute mutually beneficial cooperation in all areas between ASEAN and China.

Counsellor Li Xin applauded the ACC’s contribution to promoting China-ASEAN relations. He stressed that China has always prioritized ASEAN in its neighbourhood diplomacy and attached great importance to maintaining friendship, enhancing mutual trust, and deepening cooperation with the AMS. This year marks the 10th anniversary of President Xi Jinping’s proposal to forge a closer China-ASEAN community of shared future. China and ASEAN have charted a course of peaceful coexistence among countries regardless of their sizes and set a model relationship featuring good neighbourliness and friendship. China will continue to uphold ASEAN’s centrality, earnestly implement the important consensus reached by the leaders on both sides, and contribute to further advancement of China-ASEAN comprehensive strategic partnership. China will continue to render full support to and participation in various activities sponsored by the ACC, so as to further advance China-ASEAN relations.

The leading officials of the ACC divisions took stock of the progress in work achieved since the 12th JC Meeting last year and briefed the Meeting on the plans in the near future. The representatives of JEB members appreciated the ACC’s efforts in hosting successful activities, and shared their comments and suggestions on the implementation of concrete projects in 2023. They, as always,all pledged full support to and close collaboration with the ACC Secretariat,in the purpose of further promoting ASEAN-China cooperation and exchanges in such fields as trade, investment, education, culture, tourism and media.