On 5 September 2016, ASEAN-China Centre (ACC) Secretary-General H.E. Mme. Yang Xiuping paid courtesy call on H.E. Mme. Khemmani Pholsena, Minister of Industry and Commerce of Lao PDR in Vientiane. Mr. Phouvieng, Deputy Director-General of Cooperation and Planning Department, and Mr. Saysana Sayakone, Deputy Director-General of Foreign Trade Policy Department of the Ministry attended the meeting.
Secretary-General Yang congratulated Lao PRD for successfully assuming the ASEAN Chairmanship and hosting the 10+3 Economic Ministers’ Meeting, and thanked the Lao Ministry of Industry and Commerce for the great support to ACC. She said that in 2015, ASEAN-China trade volume reached 472.2 billion USD. The realization of the ASEAN Economic Community and the conclusion of negotiations of upgraded China-ASEAN FTA created new vitality to trade and investment cooperation between both sides.
Secretary-General Yang briefed on ACC’s recent work in the areas of trade and investment. ACC hosted the Seminar on AEC and ASEAN-China Entrepreneur’s Conference, organized trade and investment missions to ASEAN countries, planned to establish ASEAN Commercial Centre in Tianjin, facilitated ASEAN enterprises to attend various expos in China, and compiled the China Import Guidebook. ACC would actively participate in the 13th China-ASEAN EXPO. ACC would like to work closely with the Lao Ministry of Industry and Commerce to make new contributions to Laos-China and ASEAN-China functional cooperation.
Minister Khemmani congratulated ACC for embracing the 5th anniversary of establishment, highly appreciated ACC for its remarkable work and was of the view that ACC had contributed a lot to ASEAN as a whole and the comprehensive cooperation between ASEAN and China. She hoped that ACC could continue to help Lao enterprises to access the Chinese market, attend various forums in China, build capacity for them, so as that the Lao enterprises could better enjoy the benefits of regional economic integration. She hoped to get continued support from ACC to promote Laos-China and ASEAN-China trade and investment cooperation.