On 18 December 2023, the ASEAN-China Centre (ACC), in collaboration with Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the People’s Republic of China and the Chinese People’s Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries (CPAFFC), sponsored the launching ceremony of Logo Design Contest for 2024 ASEAN-China Year of People-to-people Exchanges (ACYPPE)  in Changzhi City, Shanxi Province. The event was live on-line with photos and texts, attracting more than 1.2 million viewers following and commenting. 

Secretary General Shi Zhongjun of the ACC moderated the event while Vice Governor Tang Zhiping of Shanxi Province, Assistant Minister Nong Rong of Foreign Affairs of China, Ambassador Djauhari Oratmangun of Indonesia to China and Secretary Chen Erdong of the CPC Changzhi Municipal Committee addressed the audience. Ambassador Pehin Dato Rahmani of Brunei to China, Ambassador U Tin Maung Swe of Myanmar to China, Ambassador Somphone Sichaleune of the Lao PDR to China attended the event. Also present were nearly 300 participants, including diplomatic envoys of the other ASEAN Member States (AMS), officials from local governments, overseas students from AMS and media representatives. 

Secretary General Shi Zhongjun underlined that 2024 has been announced by both ASEAN and Chinese leaders as Year of People-to-people Exchanges in the spirit of building stronger people-to-people connections, facilitating cross-border travels, promoting mutual learning among civilizations between both sides, and enhancing ASEAN-China comprehensive strategic partnership in the long run. The ACC looks forward to the Logo Design Contest creating more opportunities for the peoples, especially the youths, from both AMS and China to get involved with each other, learn from each other and step further on the path in pursuit of common development and prosperity for both ASEAN and China. 

Assistant Minister Nong Rong stated that AMS and China are linked by mountains and rivers and enjoy cultural affinity. People-to-people exchanges are greatly crucial to ASEAN-China relations. Under the ACYPPE, both sides should enhance mutual respect and mutual trust, promote mutual benefits and strengthen mutual learning, and promote the Asian values of peace, cooperation, inclusiveness and integration, so as to inject fresh impetus into the building of a closer ASEAN-China community with a shared future.

Vice Governor Tang Zhiping welcomed ASEAN guests to visit Shanxi and stressed that Shanxi is willing to make the best use of existing industrial advantages, explore cooperation opportunities in trade and economy, promote people-to-people exchanges in culture, tourism, and youth, and strike multi-faceted cooperation with AMS. Secretary Chen Erdong delivered a presentation to the audience centering on Changzhi’s rich history, cultural heritages and tourism resource.

Ambassador Djauhari Oratmangun, on behalf of all AMS embassies in China, spoke highly of the fruitful achievements in the development of the ASEAN-China comprehensive strategic partnership in recent years, thanks to the ACC’s firm dedication and active contribution. He looked forward to the ACC putting up more activities, various in forms while rich in contents, under the framework of the 2024ACYPPE, so as to further strengthen the amity, promote mutual learning in civilizations,and enhance cultural affinity between the people from both AMS and China.

With the countdown by the on-site audience, the attending dignitaries from both AMS and China push in concert the launching bar, after which a themed painting gradually unfolded to symbolize the official kick-off of the Contest. 

After the launching ceremony, the dignitaries and participants were also invited to tour the exhibition on the Changzhi intangible cultural heritages, where they were amazed by the cultural richness and delicate folk arts originated in Shanxi Province.

On 17 December 2023, Vice Governor Tang Zhiping of Shanxi province met with the delegation of the AMS diplomatic envoys.

The Guidelines for the Logo Design Contest could be referred to on the ACC’s official website and WeChat official account, as well as Changzhi News website and Sina. 

Please do follow us and send in your Contest entries!