ARTICLE VII

Joint Executive Board

1.The Joint Executive Board shall consist of the ASEAN Beijing Committee (ABC) and the China Council, which shall be established to include representatives from Chinese agencies involved in trade, investment, tourism, educational and cultural matters.

2.The Joint Executive Board shall exercise the following functions and other functions as and when entrusted by the Joint Council:

a) supervise the activities of the Centre so that the decisions of the Joint Council are effectively implemented;

b) function as the Advisory Council to offer advice on policyrelated matters;

c) exercise the power to guide the Secretary-General with the procedure to recruit staff of the Centre; and

d) consider and endorse the annual work programme and annual budget of the Centre as prepared by the ASEAN-China Centre Secretariat for consideration and approval of the Joint Council.

3.The Joint Executive Board shall meet regularly or at any time as may be necessary.

4.All the decisions of the Joint Executive Board shall be made by consensus.

ARTICLE VIII

ASEAN-China Centre Secretariat

1.The ASEAN-China Centre Secretariat (“ACCS”) shall be an executing body, responsible for the day-to-day operation of the Centre, and produce an annual report to the Joint Council.

2.The ASEAN-China Centre Secretariat (“ACCS”) shall consist of a Secretary-General and such professional staff as the Centre may require, who must be nationals of Members.

3.The Secretary-General shall represent the Secretariat as its chief executive and shall be responsible to the Joint Council and the Joint Executive Board.

4.The tenure of the Secretary-General shall be 3 years on a contract basis. He/she shall be selected and approved by the Joint Council.

5. The Secretary-General shall be a national of a Member. He/she shall work full time for the Centre and shall not hold any other position in the government or private organisations.

6.The selection of the first two Secretaries-General shall be on a rotational basis. The first Secretary-General shall be a Chinese national, and the second Secretary-General shall be a national of an ASEAN Member State. Selection of the third Secretary-General, and onwards, shall be open to candidates from any Member of the Centre.

7.The Secretary-General shall execute the annual work programme, administer the annual budget, and implement the decisions of the Joint Council, under the supervision and advice of the Joint Executive Board.

8. The Secretary-General shall prepare an annual report which shall include the annual work programme and the annual budget estimates, and present them for approval to the annual meeting of the Joint Council.

9. The Secretary-General shall recruit Directors as head of divisions. The appointment of Directors shall be approved by the Joint Executive Board. The tenure of Directors shall be on a contract basis and can be renewed by the Joint Executive Board.

10.The terms and conditions of employment of staff shall be set out in staff regulations approved by the Joint Executive Board.