On 21 September 2018, Dr. Suriya Chindawongse, Director General of Department of ASEAN Affairs of Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) of Thailand met with Mr. Chen Dehai, Secretary-General of ASEAN-China Centre (ACC). Mr. Paitoon Mahapannaporn, Director of Department of ASEAN Affairs of MFA of Thailand, and Mrs. Ding Yue, Deputy Director of General Affairs and Coordination Division of ACC were in company.
Dr. Suriya extended his congratulations to Secretary-General Chen Dehai on assuming office as Secretary-General of ACC. As a member of ACC's Joint Council, he promised to continue to support ACC's work under the leadership of Secretary-General Chen. In 2019, Thailand will take over the rotating chairmanship of ASEAN and political mutual trust and sustainable development will be the theme of cooperation between ASEAN member countries and China. It is hoped that ACC will continue to play an active role in moving forward the ASEAN-China strategic partnership.
Secretary-General Chen thanked Dr. Suriya for his support rendered to himself and to ACC. He said that with 15 years' development, ASEAN-China strategic partnership stands out as the most dynamic and substantial one among ASEAN's partnerships. He briefed on ACC's recent work and pledged that ACC will fully play its role as a one-stop information and activities centre as always to make joint efforts with Thailand to uplift ASEAN-China relations to a new level.