ACC as Information Centre（Updated in January 2021）

 

[Setting up special task force and granting financial support]
 

Information service constitutes the basic function of ACC’s work. The Memorandum of Understanding on Establishing the ASEAN-China Centre between the Governments of the Member States of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations and the Government of the People’s Republic of China positions ACC as a “one-stop information and activities centre” and stipulates that ACC “shall have the dual function of information centre and activities centre” and elaborates on the specific tasks. The revised version of the above-mentioned Memorandum, signed in August 2017, further includes “information and media” as one of the six key areas of ACC’s work. The Information and Public Relations Division (IPRD) of ACC leads the information work, and a cross-department research group has been set up to provide intellectual support. ACC allocates a proportion of its annual budget to provide financial support for information work. Since 2014, ACC has been producing the annual statistic book ASEAN & China in Figures as a flagship project.
 

[Building information platforms and carriers]
 

ACC has built up various information platforms and carriers to improve the quality and efficiency of information services. We produce hardcopy reference materials as well as audio-visual products, and reach out to the public by using our outdoor display board, exhibition hall and through exhibition activities in different cities. We provide online information services mostly via our official website, and partly via our Wechat and Weibo accounts. In October 2010, the official website of ACC was launched before the organization body was established in November 2011. National leaders of China and the 10 ASEAN Member States attended the launching ceremony. In March 2020, ACC upgraded its website with a new page layout and added columns to make it more user-friendly and aesthetically-pleasing. The ACC Weibo and Wechat accounts were opened in October 2011 and April 2013 respectively, and as contents continue to grow, so are the numbers of followers and reposts.

[Information content and products] (find details in the attached)
 

The information work of ACC is a faithful reflection of ASEAN-China relations, keeping a record of important progress, major events and cooperation in pursuing the development of ASEAN-China relations, sharing information on the latest development and research results, creating a friendly atmosphere and providing practical reference for promoting exchanges and cooperation. Based on the content, our information products are divided into four categories:
 

First, information on the activities hosted and attended by ACC. ACC posts press releases on its official website, Weibo and Wechat accounts, and compiles the bilingual quarterly Newsletter and annual work report on regular basis. The highlights of activities are presented in the outdoor display board. In addition, ACC regularly updates its pamphlets and promotion videos.

Second, information on ASEAN-China relations and stories about cultural and people-to-people exchanges. Following closely the development of ASEAN-China relations and exchanges and cooperation in various fields, ACC reposts on its official website, Weibo and Wechat accounts press releases  involving high-level interactions, major events, important documents and major projects, as well as information on latest development and cooperation between the two sides in trade, investment, education, culture, tourism, and information and media. We have on our official website the columns of “A Window for ASEAN-China Children’s Cultural Exchanges” “Collecting ASEAN Short Stories and ASEAN Cultural Festivals” and “Joint Efforts to Fight COVID-19”. We also took part in the production of cultural and tourist documentaries such as Hi! ASEAN and Be Your Way, further promoting ASEAN-China friendship.

Third, practical materials. The annual statistic book ASEAN & China in Figures provides accurate, comprehensive and authoritative information and data analysis for institutions and people from both sides. ACC also offers reference materials in different areas, including the ASEAN Investment Guide, China-ASEAN Watch, Development of Education in ASEAN Member States, ASEAN Tourism Routes Guide, ASEAN Tourism Overview, ASAEN-China Info, ASEAN Culture Information Handbooks, etc.
 

Fourth, ACC’s independent research results. ACC follows and studies the overall situation of ASEAN-China relations and exchanges and cooperation in economy, trade, tourism, people-to-people exchanges, students studying abroad and media cooperation. The research results are published and updated on a timely basis on its official website. Apart from regularly contributing articles to China Report magazine, we have also completed a number of research papers such as Connecting the Connectivities—Perspective and Analysis by the ASEAN-China Centre.

 

Attachment:

 

List of ACC’s Information Service

 

I. Regular Publications

1. Annual Report of ASEAN-China Centre 

2. ASEAN-China Centre Newsletter (since 2012, latest Issue No. 34)

3. ASEAN & China in Figures (Since 2014, annual statistic book)

4. Provide journals and other information pamphlets collected from embassies of ASEAN Member States (AMS) in Beijing and governmental organizations of China and AMS at ACC Secretariat for visitors.

 

II. Information on ACC’s Work in Priority Areas

A. Trade and Investment

1. ASEAN Investment Guide (2012)

2. From 2012 to 2016, ACC worked with China-ASEAN Investment Cooperation Fund (CAF) and ANBOUND Consulting to compile periodical China-ASEAN Watch on a monthly basis.

3. Guide of China Import from ASEAN Countries

4. Guide for Investment Cooperation in ASEAN Countries (2018)

 

B. Education

1. Compiled Development of Education in ASEAN Member States (2012)

2. Translated and compiled Guidebook to Education System and Reform in Southeast Asia and China (2015)

3. Sponsored the publication of Handbook for ASEAN Students (Beijing) (2015)

4. Opened a column on ASEAN-China education exchanges in the Journal of World Education (2016)  

 

C. Culture

1. In celebration of 2014 ASEAN-China Year of Cultural Exchanges, ACC produced the book of ASEAN-China Year of Cultural Exchanges.

2. Supported the printing of The Inventory of Major International Arts Festivals in China and ASEAN Member States (2014)

3. In commemoration of the 25th anniversary of ASEAN-China dialogue relations, ACC and China International Cooperation Centre co-organized “Shared Glory with Diversified Splendors: The Group Exhibition of ASEAN-China Academies of Fine Arts”, and produced The Group Exhibition of ASEAN-China Academies of Fine Arts Works Collection.

4. In celebration of 50th anniversary of ASEAN, ACC co-hosted the ASEAN-China Film Festival with China-ASEAN Association and the former State Administration of Press, Publication, Radio, Film and Television of China. The book ASEAN-China Film Festival 2017 was produced to record the activities and the introduction of films from ASEAN Member States and China.

5. Set up the website page and a special column on ACC’s website named “A Window for ASEAN-China Children’s Cultural Exchanges” in 2016. Corresponding columns were also added to ACC’s Weibo and Wechat accounts in 2019 to repost articles from this website. Since the upgrading of ACC’s website in 2020, apart from regularly updating reports on ASEAN-China youth activities in the fields of education, culture, sports, science and technology, the website also reposts information on joint fights against COVID-19 by children of both sides, as well as popular digital cultural resources. 

6. Since 2019, ACC initiated the project of “collecting ASEAN Short Stories and Information of ASEAN Cultural Festivals” and set up a special column on its website, Weibo and Wechat accounts to share with the Chinese public traditional stories and articles about cultural festivals of ASEAN countries.

7. Supported the production of Dan’s Way and Be Your Way, documentaries featuring ASEAN culture and tourism (2018-2019).

8. In October 2020, ACC launched the compilation of 7 ASEAN Culture Information Handbooks, covering themes such as ASEAN cultural heritage, intangible cultural heritage, cultural festivals, Culture Cities, culture and art, gastronomy, clothing and handcraft.

 

D. Tourism

1. Translated and compiled ASEAN Tourism Routes Guide (2016)

2. Translated and compiled 50 Golden Trails in ASEAN (2017)

3. Translated and compiled ASEAN Outdoor Light Adventure Brochure (2017)

4. Translated and compiled ASEAN Festivals Tourism Brochure (2017)

5. Translated ASEAN Tourism Map (2017)

6. Jointly produced the tourism documentary Hi! ASEAN with Beijing Television Station (2017)

7. Compiled ASEAN Tourism Overview (2020)

8. Uploaded Brief Introduction on ASEAN Tourism in 2019      (2020)

9. Uploaded Classic ASEAN Tour Routes (2020)

 

E. Information

1. ASEAN-China Info 2013

2. ASEAN & China in Figures 2014

3. ASEAN & China in Figures 2015

4. ASEAN & China in Figures 2016

5. ASEAN & China in Figures 2017

6. ASEAN & China in Figures 2018

 

III. Commemorative Publications and Exhibitions 

1. In commemoration of 25th Anniversary of ASEAN-China Dialogue Relations, ACC produced the album Strengthening ASEAN-China Relations Photos Collection in collaboration with China Photo Service (CPS) (2015).

2. In commemoration of 25th Anniversary of ASEAN-China Dialogue Relations, ACC jointly produced the pamphlet 25 Years of ASEAN-China Dialogue and Cooperation: Facts and Figures (1991-2016) with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of China (2016).

3. In commemoration of 25th Anniversary of ASEAN-China Dialogue Relations, ACC hosted a series of photo exhibitions featuring ASEAN-China relations.

4. ACC organized a photo exhibition entitled “Walk Along Hand in Hand: Photo Exhibition on ASEAN-China People-to-People Exchanges”.

 

IV. New Media

1. ACC website was officially opened in October 2010. In March 2020, an updated version was launched. More than 360 English and Chinese press releases were published on the website in 2020.

2. ACC’s Weibo account was opened in October 2011. Up to now, it has posted or reposted over 8,900 pieces of information, attracting over 1.69 million followers.

3. ACC’s we-chat account was opened on 27 April 2013. Up till 31 December 2020, it has been in operation for 2806 days. During this period of time, 16,418 articles were posted or reposted from the accounts, clicked for about 13.2 million times and shared and reposted for about 1.57 million times.

 

V. Research Outcomes

1. Research paper: Connecting the Connectivities-Perspective and Analysis by the ASEAN-China Centre (2019)

2. Article: An Overview of ASEAN-China Relations (2020)

3. Article: An Overview of Media Cooperation between ASEAN and China (2020)

4. Article: Joint Efforts by ASEAN and China in Promoting Cooperation on Climate Change and Ecology (released by China Report magazine, April 2020)

5. Article: Shared Opportunities of Digital Economy Cooperation for ASEAN and China (released by China Report magazine, May 2020)

6. Article: ASEAN-China Media Cooperation Entering a New Phase (released by China Report magazine, August 2020)

7. Article: Development Momentum of ASEAN-China Cooperation Kept Going despite COVID-19 (released by China Report magazine, September 2020)

8. Article: Large Room for ASEAN-China Cooperation in Jointly Building the Green Belt and Road (released by China Report magazine, November 202