On 26 November 2024, the ASEAN-China Centre (ACC) successfully hosted the “Lecture Series on ASEAN-China Relations” at Sichuan University. Ambassador Somphone Sichaleune of the Lao PDR to China was invited to give a lecture and interacted with the students of Sichuan University. Secretary General Shi Zhongjun of the ACC participated and addressed the audience. Nearly 150 faculty members and students from Sichuan University attended, as well as 70 overseas students from ASEAN countries, including more than 40 students from Laos.

Ambassador Somphone outlined the national development of the Lao PDR and gave a comprehensive introduction to the relationship between Laos and China. He stressed that Laos and China are close neighbors sharing rivers and mountains. As socialist comrades and brothers, Laos and China have always been in the forefront of building a community with a shared future for mankind. At present, Laos-China relations are at their best in history, with bilateral cooperation expanding in depth and scope. Laos-China cooperation under the Belt and Road Initiative has made great achievements. The China-Laos Railway, as a landmark project of high-quality Belt and Road cooperation in the region, has benefited the people of both sides and greatly promoted people-to-people exchanges and mutual understanding between the people of the two countries.

Ambassador Somphone stressed that Lao PDR, as the rotating chair of ASEAN in 2024, with the theme of “ASEAN: Enhancing Connectivity and Resilience”, has remained committed to promoting the more solid construction of the ASEAN Community and making substantial contributions to the building of the ASEAN-China Comprehensive Strategic Partnership. He also answered questions from Chinese and overseas students on how to promote Laos-China and ASEAN-China educational and cultural cooperation, especially in strengthening closer youth exchanges between the two sides.

Shi Zhongjun highlighted the positive development of ASEAN-China and Laos-China relations and encouraged the young students to actively participate in promoting cultural affinity and people-to-people exchanges between ASEAN and China, so as to contribute to building the Laos-China community with a shared future and a closer ASEAN-China community of shared future.

Vice President Zhao Changsheng expressed his gratitude to the ACC for organizing the “Lecture Series on ASEAN-China Relations” at Sichuan University, and said that Sichuan University looks forward to carrying out a wider range of exchanges and cooperation with more universities in ASEAN Member States, including Laos, in such areas as joint teaching and scientific research, scientific and technological personnel talents cultivation, so as to pool more talents for national development of China and Laos, and bring more fruits to the Laos-China Comprehensive Strategic Cooperative Partnership and people-to-people exchanges between China and ASEAN.

The ASEAN-China Relations Lecture Series is one of the flagship projects of the ACC, with the aim of promoting people-to-people exchanges and mutual understanding between ASEAN and China, especially to raise awareness of ASEAN and ASEAN-China relations among the younger generations in China. Since its launch in 2013, a total of 21 lectures have been held in a number of prestigious universities across China, which have been warmly received by the audience.