On 3 July 2025, the ASEAN-China Centre (ACC) sponsored the Commemorative Exchange Event for the 20th Anniversary of China Becoming Development Partner of the BIMP-EAGA  (Brunei-Indonesia-Malaysia-Philippines ASEAN East Growth Area). Secretary General Shi Zhongjun of the ACC attended and presided over the event.

Deputy Secretary General Chen Wansheng of Qingdao Municipal People’s Government, Deputy Permanent Secretary Harris Ibrahim of the Ministry of Finance and Economy of Brunei Darussalam, and Deputy Director General Wang Qihui of Department of Asian Affairs of Chinese Ministry of Commerce attended and addressed the event. To advance the BIMP-EAGA - China cooperation, representatives from the BIMP-EAGA Facilitation Centre, the BIMP-EAGA National Secretariats of Brunei, Indonesia, the Philippines, and Malaysia, as well as delegates from Chinese financial institutions, local governments, business chambers, and scholars were invited to conduct in-depth discussion and share their valuable perspectives.

The participating representatives reviewed the 20-year cooperation journey between BIMP-EAGA and China, demonstrating the continuing progress in various fields such as intergovernmental collaboration, green development and digital economy, infrastructure construction, blue economy, financial investment, human resources and business cooperation. The delegates unanimously applauded  the remarkable achievements of the cooperation. Over the past two decades, bilateral trade between China and the four BIMP-EAGA member states has expanded 5.6-fold. China has organized over 300 capacity-building programs for BIMP-EAGA and provided funding support for promising cooperative projects. The gradual implementation of the BIMP-EAGA-China Cooperation Plan of Action 2020-2025 has also laid a solid foundation for sustained collaboration between the two sides.

The representatives discussed ways to further deepen collaboration. Looking ahead, the BIMP-EAGA Vision 2035 will expand its cross-cutting themes to digitalization, technology and innovation, blue economy, circular and regenerative economy, and creative industries, which will create greater synergy and complementarity with China's development priorities, enabling both sides to embrace even greater opportunities. The representatives also agreed that the broader and deeper cooperation will significantly contribute to advancing regional integration and shared prosperity, particularly amid current global challenges and uncertainties. 

On the afternoon of 3 July, the delegates from the BIMP-EAGA member states toured the exhibition hall of Qingdao Marine Group, gaining insights into the development landscape of the local marine industries and exploring potential cooperation opportunities.