On 15 July 2024, the ASEAN-China Center (ACC), in collaboration with the Foreign Affairs Office of Yunnan Province, the People’s Government of Wenshan Prefecture and the People’s Government of Malipo County, hosted the opening ceremony of the ASEAN-China Youth Basketball Tournament and Cultural Exchange Activities, themed "People-to-people Exchanges for Friendship, Cooperation and Common Development." The ACC Secretary General Shi Zhongjun, Ambassador Wang Fukang of Ministry of Foreign Affairs of China, Deputy Secretary Li Chaowei of the CPC Committee of Wenshan Prefecture, Deputy Governor Zhang Jinfeng of the People’s Government of Wenshan Prefecture, Secretary Feng Rui of the CPC Committee of Malipo County attended, and more than 500 participants including representatives from ASEAN Member States (AMS) Embassies, Consulates General and ASEAN Secretariat, 12 basketball teams from Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Thailand, Wenshan Prefecture and its related counties were present. The event turned out to be a success, unprecedented in its scale.  

In his opening remarks, SG Shi Zhongjun underlined that ASEAN-China relations have set a model of relations between nations, witnessing rich achievements of people-to-people exchanges in such fields as education, culture, tourism, youth, sports and media and contributing a lot to the growth of ASEAN-China comprehensive strategic partnership. As an integral part to the celebration of 2024 ASEAN-China Year of People-to-people Exchanges, the basketball tournament presents a great opportunity for the young students from both ASEAN countries and China to honor sportsmanship, consolidate friendship, and promote mutual learning and understanding. 

The attending dignitaries all stressed that people-to-people exchanges is key to buttressing the vigorous development of ASEAN-China relations, while cooperation and exchanges among AMS and China’s local governments are indispensable in this regard. AMS and Yunnan well share geographical proximity and cultural connections. The basketball tournament stands testimony to dynamic and productive ASEAN-China relations, thus conducive to consolidating amity among the youths on both sides, promoting high-level opening up of Yunnan, and deepening exchanges between both sides in sports, education and culture. 

The tournament was launched with the first match between the high school basketball teams from the Philippines and Malipo County. The exciting game was fierce and exciting as each player did his utmost, inviting cheers and applause from the audience. The players not only lived up to the sportsmanship of trying to be higher, faster and stronger, but also built fresh friendship among themselves. The event will last until 20 July. On the sidelines of basketball games, the young players from AMS will also make fields visits in both Wenshan Prefecture and Kunming City for various programs to experience Chinese traditional culture and traditions of China’s ethnic minorities, which will definitely help them better understand Yunnan and China.

SG Shi Zhongjun, after the opening ceremony, also gave interviews to China News Service and Huanqiu.com to expound upon further leveraging the strength of youth for further advancement of ASEAN-China relations.