ACC Secretary-General Met with ASEAN Deputy Secretary-General

On 25 September 2015, ASEAN-China Centre (ACC) Secretary-General H.E. Mme. Yang Xiuping met with Deputy Secretary-General of ASEAN H.E. Dr. Lim Hong Hin in Jakarta, Indonesia. Both sides exchanged views on ASEAN-China relations, ASEAN Community building and upgrading of ASEAN-China Free Trade Area (CAFTA).

Secretary-General Yang expressed that ASEAN would realize its Community by the end of 2015, which would instill new impetus to ASEAN growth momentum, regional prosperity and Asian integration process. Next year would mark the 25th anniversary of ASEAN-China dialogue relations. Both sides would hold a series of commemorative activities throughout the year. ASEAN-China cooperation enjoyed huge potentials and embraced broad prospects. She briefed on the work of ACC, and highlighted that ACC, bearing in mind the important consensus reached by leaders of ASEAN and China, had been promoting cooperation in trade, investment, education, culture and tourism between ASEAN and China. ACC stood ready to enhance communication with the ASEAN Secretariat, jointly planned for and participated in the 25th anniversary commemorative activities, and made remitting efforts to support ASEAN Community building and ASEAN-China Strategic Partnership.

Deputy Secretary-General Lim Hong Hin highly commended the achievements of ACC. He remarked that ASEAN-China relations, being functional and fruitful, had great significance on the development of ASEAN and regional peace and stability. The leaders of ASEAN Plus Three countries had expectations for ACC, ASEAN-Japan Centre (AJC) and ASEAN-Korea Centre (AKC) to boost cooperation. The meetings among Secretary-Generals of the three Centres enjoyed good momentum. It was suggested that the Centres would identify cooperation priorities, explore model of cooperation, and make joint efforts to contribute to East Asian integration. ASEAN and China shall organize more capacity building projects for SMEs, so as to allow them to fully enjoy the benefits of CAFTA and regional economic integration. The ASEAN Secretariat would like to enhance communication and coordination with ACC, jointly design and participate in the 25th anniversary commemorative activities, and push ASEAN-China relations to a higher level.