On 4 May 2018, the reporting trip themed "2018 ASEAN-China Jointly Building the 21st Century Maritime Silk Road", co-hosted by ASEAN-China Centre (ACC) and China Foreign Languages Publishing Administration, and organized by China Report, was commenced in Shanghai.
Year 2018 marks 15th anniversary of ASEAN-China Strategic Partnership, the ASEAN-China Year of Innovation and 40th anniversary of China's opening and reform. The reporting trip was aimed at further promoting ASEAN-China friendly exchanges and cooperation, and mutual understanding and friendship among people. The reporting trip included 23 journalists from 18 media agencies and 2 information officials of ASEAN countries to visit Shanghai municipality, Zhejiang province and Jiangsu province so as to realize socio-economic achievements of China and ASEAN-China cooperation in trade, investment, education, culture, tourism and information and media, as well as to report the fruitful outcomes and broad prospect of ASEAN-China jointly building the 21st Century Maritime Silk Road.
Mr. Xu Wei, Director-General of Information Office of Shanghai Municipal Government, welcomed the media and briefed on Shanghai’s socio-economic development and its exchanges and cooperation with ASEAN countries. He stated that Shanghai would like to deepen its exchanges and cooperation with ASEAN countries and achieve win-win outcome. Shanghai is one of the model of China's prosperous development. He hoped that the ASEAN journalists could constantly follow-up and report Shanghai, and also travel around other provinces and municipalities to have all-around comprehension on China. Mr. Vithit Powattanasuk, Director of Information and Public Relations Division of ACC, expressed, on behalf of the ASEAN journalists, his gratitude to Shanghai's hospitality and arrangement. He outlined ACC's mandate and its tremendous efforts in promoting ASEAN-China friendly exchanges and cooperation. He hoped that all the ASEAN journalists could see and convey what they saw and what they perceived to ASEAN people, and wished that this reporting trip could further promote ASEAN-Shanghai friendly exchanges and cooperation.
In Pudong Exhibition Centre, the media delegation learned about the history and achievements of China (Shanghai) Pilot Free Trade Area. The Area was inaugurated on 29 September 2013 consisting of Waigaoqiao bonded area, logistic park for Waigaoqiao bonded area, Yangshan free trade port area, comprehensive bonded area for Shanghai Pudong airport, Jinqiao exported product processing area, Zhangjiang high-tech industrial park, Lujiazui financial trading area. ASEAN journalists were fascinated by the Area's institutional innovation in investment, trade, finance and other areas.
The management of China International Import Expo Bureau discussed with journalists and briefed that the Expo is going to commence from 5 to 10 November 2018 in Shanghai. It's estimated that there will be over 100 countries and region's companies to participate. By now, there has been 89 ASEAN companies from 10 ASEAN countries that have registered to participate in the said Expo. These ASEAN companies are mainly concerned on food, agricultural products and daily commodities.
When visiting Xinmin Evening News, ASEAN journalist were briefed on the newspapers history and development by Mr. Ji Ying, Deputy Editor-in-Chief of the Newspaper. He mentioned that the Newspaper, incepted on 9 September 1929, is affiliated to Shanghai United Media Group. In the past nearly 9 decades, the Newspaper saw its peak time with circulation of 1.83 million pieces. For now, the circulation is 500 thousand copies daily. In order to meet the new era's demands, the Newspaper is dedicated itselt to new media platforms in the area of website and application. The number of downloading its application for cell-phones has reached 5 million, which indicated that the Newspaper has successfully formed a balanced development of one entity (the Xinmin Brand) and two wings (newspaper and online platforms).
During the visits, ASEAN journalists interacted with the managements of each units on such topics as media transformation, journalists' qualities, the prospect of ASEAN-Shanghai. The atmosphere of the meeting was warm.