On 27 September 2024, the 2nd Joint Executive Board (JEB) Working Group Meeting of the ASEAN-China Centre (ACC) in 2024 was held in Tianjin, co-chaired by DCM and Counsellor Phouva Samounty of the Embassy of the Lao PDR in China and Counsellor Xu Jing of the Department of Asian Affairs of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) of China. The representatives from the 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. 

Phouva stressed that, under the guidance of the leaders on both sides, the ASEAN-China Comprehensive Strategic Partnership has reaped in rich fruits. Leveraging on its own strengths, especially under the framework of 2024 ASEAN-China Year of People-to-people Exchanges (ACYPPE), the ACC has put in place various activities, made great efforts in deepening ASEAN-China practical cooperation and enhancing mutual understanding between both sides, and played an irreplaceable role in promoting ASEAN-China relations. The Lao PDR, as the rotating chair of ASEAN in 2024, always stands ready to focus on the theme of "ASEAN: Enhancing Connectivity and Resilience" and work with all AMS and dialogue partners to promote deeper economic integration, enhance regional connectivity and pursue common development for the betterment of the peoples in the region.

Xu Jing spoke highly of the ACC's success in organizing a number of distinctive, innovative and influential activities, such as the ASEAN-China Week (ACW) 2024, and congratulated the ACC on its efforts and achievements since the 1st JEBWG Meeting. She looked forward to the ACC continuing to design more meaningful programs and activities in line with the consensus reached by the leaders of ASEAN and China, seize the opportunities of development and transformation of emerging industries, and play a more important role in promoting practical cooperation in various fields such as artificial intelligence, digital economy, smart agriculture, climate change and blue economy, and carry out more specific activities in areas such as culture, tourism, education, media, think tanks and youth, so as to enhance mutual understanding and enrich the ACYPPE 2024, deepen the ASEAN-China Comprehensive Strategic Partnership and make greater contributions to building a closer ASEAN-China community with a shared future.

The persons-in-charge of the ACC divisions briefed the Meeting on the progress of their work since the 1st JEBWG Meeting in April and work plans in the near future. The ACC side expressed heartfelt appreciation to all the JEB members for their strong and sustained support, stressed that the ACC will keep taking concrete steps to implement the consensus between the leaders on both sides, through close cooperation with the AMS Embassies in China. As for the overall planning of the ACYPPE in the near future, the ACC will actively organize more activities both in China and ASEAN countries, better build on the successes of its flagship projects, and continue to serve as a promoter of friendship and mutual trust between ASEAN and China, and a catalyst to expanding practical cooperation between both sides. 

The JEB members appreciated the diligent efforts made by the ACC and provided advice on the latter’s efforts in near future, stressing that they will spare no effort in supporting the ACC to grow better and stronger, actively participate in the various ACC-sponsored activities, and jointly promote ASEAN-China practical cooperation in various fields towards richer fruits. The Meeting also touched upon the preparations for the upcoming JEB meeting.

After the Meeting, the JEB members were invited to make fields visits to the Luban Workshop Construction Experience Museum, the Tianjin Public Vocational Training Center of China and the Tianjin Port Smart Zero-carbon Terminal, to acquire a better understanding of China’s cooperation advantages in vocational education and witness the latest developments in modernized and intelligent development of China’s port facilities.