On 17 November 2023, the opening ceremony of “the 1st China-ASEAN International Conference on Physical Fitness and Health Promotion” was held in Ningbo, Zhejiang Province. Supported by the ASEAN-China Centre (ACC), the event was organized by China Institute of Sport Science (CISS) of the General Administration of Sport of China (GAS). Vice Minister Mr. Liu Guoyong of GAS attended and addressed the opening ceremony. Sport officials, scholars and professionals from relevant institutions in 10 ASEAN Member States (AMS) and 31 provinces of China, altogether around 200 participants presented at the event. Deputy Director Li Yaying of Education, Culture and Tourism Division of the ACC was invited to attend and address the opening ceremony.

Ms. Li Yaying underlined that this Conference serves as a brand-new platform for sport exchanges between AMS and China, which will give full play to the unique role of sport in the field of people-to-people exchanges, and enhance the mutual understanding and friendship between the peoples of ASEAN and China. With the 2024 designated as the ASEAN-China Year of People-to-people Exchanges, the ACC would continuously support and promote the in-depth cooperation between ASEAN and China in various fields to further enhance people-to-people exchanges, promote the mutual understanding of both sides, and contribute to a closer ASEAN-China community with a shared future.

The theme of the Conference is “Interconnectivity, Cooperation, Sharing - Promoting New Development of Physical Fitness and Health”. Representatives from Embassies of Brunei Darussalam, Indonesia, Lao PDR, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and Viet Nam delivered country presentations respectively, shared their experiences in upgrading national physical fitness and discussed on carrying out international cooperation in health promotion with their Chinese counterparts.