On August 6th, the first "ASEAN-China Week" themed "A Forward-Looking ASEAN China Comprehensive Strategic Partnership in the New Era" opened in Fuzhou. Sommad Pholsena, Vice President of the Lao National Assembly, Zhao Long, Governor of Fujian Provincial People’s Government, Nong Rong, Assistant Minister of Foreign Affairs, the People’s Republic of China, and Lin Baojin, Member of the Standing Committee of the CPC Fujian Provincial Committee and Secretary of the CPC Fuzhou Municipal Committee attended the opening cremony and delivered speeches. Guo Ningning, Member of the Standing Committee of the CPC Fujian Provincial Committee, Executive Vice Governor of Fujian Provincial People’s Government, attended the opening ceremony and Shi Zhongjun, Secretary General of the ASEAN-China Centre, presided over it. 

 

H.E. Shi Zhongjun, Secretary General of the ASEAN-China Centre presides over the opening ceremony. 

 

Zhao Long, Deputy Secretary of the CPC Fujian Provincial Committee, Governor of Fujian Provincial People’s Government gives a speech. 

 

Entrusted by Zhou Zuyi, Secretary of the CPC Fujian Provincial Committee, and on behalf of the CPC Fujian Provincial Committee and Fujian Provincial People’s Government, Zhao Long expressed his gratitude to people from all walks of life who have long been committed to the friendly cooperation between China and ASEAN and cared for and supported Fujian's economic and social development. He said that this year marks the 10th anniversary of the Belt and Road Initiative put forward by President Xi Jinping and the 10th anniversary of building a closer China-ASEAN community with a shared future, and the 20th anniversary of China's accession to the Treaty of Amity and Cooperation in Southeast Asia. President Xi Jinping has always attached great importance to developing friendly relations between China and ASEAN, pointing out that China and ASEAN countries are linked by mountains and rivers and close to each other by blood. China was, is and will always be a good neighbor, good friend and good partner of ASEAN, which points out the way forward and lays solid foundation for deepening friendly cooperation between China and ASEAN. Fujian is the important imcubator and pioneer city in implementation of Xi's thought on socialism with Chinese characteristics in the new era. Fujian and ASEAN share deep historical and cultural roots, and have a good foundation, great potential and wide space for cooperation in various fields. We will conscientiously implement President Xi’s important statement on jointly building the Belt and Road Initiative, work with all parties to promote the quality and efficiency of economic and trade cooperation, explore better international division of labor and cooperation modes with deep integration of industrial chains, supply chains and value chains. We will continue to deepen exchanges and cooperation in such fields as friendship cities, overseas Chinese affairs, cultural tourism and education, and work together to build a peaceful, safe and secure, prosperous, beautiful and amicable common home. 

 

Nong Rong, Assistant Minister of Foreign Affairs, the People’s Republic of China, gives a speech 

 

Nong Rong, Assistant Minister of Foreign Affairs, the People’s Republic of China, stressed that in the past ten years, under the strategic guidance and personal promotion of President Xi jinping and leaders of ASEAN countries, China-ASEAN relations are on a fast track. At present, China-ASEAN relations have a good development momentum and cooperation in various fields has continued to deepen with fruitful results yielded. The two sides have maintained close high-level exchanges like relatives, deepened the integration of economic and trade interests, and accelerated the recovery of people-to-people exchanges. Since its establishment, the China-ASEAN Centre has given full play to its advantages as a bridge, bond and platform, and made important contributions to promoting China-ASEAN practical cooperation and people-to-people exchanges. Fujian has deepened exchanges and cooperation with ASEAN in fields of economy, trade, industry and people-to-people exchanges in an all-round way, injecting fresh impetus to the development of China-ASEAN relations. China will always uphold the diplomatic concept of being a sincere, benefiting and accommodating neighboring country, adhere to win-win cooperation with ASEAN, make the pie of common interests bigger and jointly build the "five homes". 

 

Lin Baojin, Member of the Standing Committee of the CPC Fujian Provincial Committee and Secretary of the CPC Fuzhou Municipal Committee, delivers a speech. 

 

Lin Baojin, Member of the Standing Committee of the CPC Fujian Provincial Committee and Secretary of the CPC Fuzhou Municipal Committee, said that Fuzhou is the capital of Fujian Province and an important starting point of the Maritime Silk Road, which is geographically close to Southeast Asia, friendly in people-to-people exchanges and connected in businesses with Southeast Asia. At present, Fuzhou has established international friendship city relations with many ASEAN cities, and built an inclusive, shared and sustainable exchange and cooperation platform for the Asia-Pacific region. In the future, Fuzhou hopes to strengthen industrial interconnection, facilities connectivity and policy reciprocity with ASEAN countries in all directions, and strive to create a new model and new highland for economic and trade cooperation and exchange. 

 

Sommad Pholsena, Vice President of the Lao National Assembly, is giving a speech. 

 

Songma Pholsena appreciated the China-ASEAN Centre and Fujian Province for inviting the delegation of the Lao National Assembly to attend this event. He said that Laos and China are like-minded good neighbors, good friends, good comrades and good partners. For a long time, the relations between the two sides have been deepening and the comprehensive strategic cooperation has remained stable, bringing tangible benefits to the Lao and Chinese peoples. In particular, since the opening and operation of the Laos-China Railway for more than one year, cooperation between the two sides and people-to-people exchanges have been strongly boosted. Sommad Pholsena said that in 2021, President Xi Jinping and leaders of ASEAN countries officially announced the establishment of ASEAN-China comprehensive strategic partnership. Over the years, the relationship between the two sides has continued to develop and deepen, especially in the fields of trade, investment, education, culture, society and tourism. It’s our belief that on the road to a brighter and better future, ASEAN and China will continuously strengthen mutual trust, promote all-round cooperation to achieve more fruitful results and make greater contributions to building a community with a shared future for mankind. 

 

Kung Phoak, Secretary of State, Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation of the Kingdom of Cambodia, delivers a speech. 

 

Kung Phoak, Secretary of State, Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation of the Kingdom of Cambodia, said that in recent years, China-ASEAN has overcome difficulties together and deepened the practical cooperation. In particular, under the Belt and Road Initiative, the connective between China and ASEAN in infrastructure, digital transformation and other fields has been continuously upgraded. He believed that through the series of China-ASEAN events, mutual trust, mutual benefit and mutual win-win cooperation between the two sides will be continuously enhanced. 

 

Khairul Firdaus bin Akbar Khan, Deputy Minister of Tourism, Arts and Culture of Malaysia, gives a speech 

 

Khairul Firdaus bin Akbar Khan, Deputy Minister of Tourism, Arts and Culture of Malaysia, said that Malaysia is rich in cultural heritage and diverse in tourism resources. With the help of technology and digital platform, it will continue to promote the interconnection with Chinese culture and strengthen the ties between ASEAN and China. 

 

Satvinder Singh, Deputy Secretary General of ASEAN, gives a speech. 

 

Satvinder Singh, Deputy Secretary General of ASEAN Secretariat, said that China-ASEAN relationship is the most dynamic, connotative and mutually beneficial among ASEAN’S foreign partnership. He emphasized that under the framework of comprehensive strategic partnership, China-ASEAN will strengthen cooperation in various fields, including regional economic integration, digital connectivity and innovative, inclusive and sustainable development paradigm. 

 

Djauhari Oratmangun, Ambassador of the Republic of Indonesia to China, gives a speech. 

 

Djauhari Oratmangun, Ambassador of the Republic of Indonesia to China, said that ASEAN has become the most dynamic economy in the world from barely gaining its footing to making great achievements. As the rotating presidency of ASEAN in 2023, Indonesia hopes to see a resilient ASEAN that can serve as a barometer of cooperation and promote regional and world peace, stability and prosperity. He promised to strengthen the healthy framework, ensure energy security and actively promote the effective implementation of RCEP.  

At the themed forum held later, dignitaries from ASEAN countries, diplomatic envoys to China, experts and scholars discussed in depth the three topics of "Connectivity", "Cooperation" and "Creativity" around the theme of "A Forward-Looking ASEAN China Comprehensive Strategic Partnership in the New Era", and put forward a series of constructive ideas such as promoting exchanges and cooperation between China and ASEAN countries to help build a closer community with a shared future for China and ASEAN.  

 

The themed forum 

 

All parties highly praised the positive impact of the establishment of China-ASEAN strategic partnership on ASEAN countries in the past 20 years. In particular, China and ASEAN have carried out in-depth exchanges and cooperation in various fields under the consensus of the Belt and Road Initiative and the Master Plan on ASEAN Connectivity 2025. Against the backdrop of global post-pandemic recovery, the two sides have continuously strengthened policy coordination, built infrastructure and expanded trade exchanges, laying a solid foundation for the future development of China-ASEAN comprehensive strategic partnership. At the same time, new development opportunities in China-ASEAN scientific and technological innovation cooperation, how to jointly release new cooperation potential, strengthen cooperation in emerging industries, and jointly cultivate more stable and mature economic growth points became the focus of attention of all parties.  

In order to allow friends from ASEAN countries to deeply feel the unique cultural charm of Fujian and Fuzhou, bodiless lacquerware, cork painting, ceramics and tea art were also showed at the exhibition areas, which attracted many guests. Friends from ASEAN countries exchanged and interacted in a cheerful and relaxed atmosphere, and talked about the bright future of China-ASEAN friendly exchanges and cooperation.  

 

Exhibition area of bodiless lacquerware 

 

Exhibition area of cork painting 

 

Exhibition area of ceramics 

 

The "ASEAN-China Week" is co-hosted by China-ASEAN Centre, Foreign Affairs Office of Fujian Provincial People’s Government and Fuzhou Municipal People's Government, and will last until 11th. The event includes ASEAN-China (Fujian) Cooperation Forum on Trade and Investment, Piano Concerto themed "The Legend of Maritime Silk Road" , Youth Forum, Film Week, Gourmet Carnival, etc. Politicians from China and ASEAN countries, diplomatic envoys to China and think tank experts were invited. 

 

Source : CCTV News

Translation: 21CMCC