On 26 July 2016, H.E. Mme. Yang Xiuping, Secretary-General of the ASEAN-China Centre (ACC), met with H.E. Mr. Song Zhe, Commissioner of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of China in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR). Ms. Cui Ying, Director of the International Organization Department of the Office of the Commissioner, attended the meeting.
Secretary-General Yang Xiuping briefed on the work of ACC and said that ACC had become an effectual platform to implement the consensus reached by the leaders of both sides and promote ASEAN-China functional cooperation. 2016 marked the 25th anniversary of ASEAN-China dialogue relations and the Year of ASEAN–China Educational Exchange. ACC had carried out a series of flagship projects in trade, investment, education, culture, tourism and media, and organized a number of commemorative events such as the ASEAN-China Week and some arts performances. All these activities evoked positive repercussions. Mme. Yang spoke highly of the fruitful achievements made by the Office of the Commissioner of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of China in the Hong Kong in conducting diplomacy related to Hong Kong and thanked the Office of the Commissioner for its constant support and help to ACC. ACC would reinforce communication with the Office of the Commissioner in HKSAR to boost ASEAN-Hong Kong and ASEAN-China friendly exchange in all fields so as to make new contributions to promoting ASEAN-China relations and regional development and prosperity.
Commissioner Song Zhe set a high value on ACC’s unremitting efforts to promote ASEAN-China functional cooperation and connectivity between the people’s hearts, saying that Hong Kong and ASEAN, close in geography and intimate in culture, had carried out robust cooperation in many fields such as economy, trade, infrastructure, shipping, tourism, and education. The Office of the Commissioner would maintain close communication with ACC and play a bridging role in promoting Hong Kong-ASEAN cooperation and inject new impetus into the development of ASEAN-Hong Kong and ASEAN-China relations.