CHAPTER IV MAJOR EVENTS
Third Meeting of ACC Joint Council
On 17 December 2013, the 3rd Meetings of the ACC Joint Council (JC) was held at ACC headquarters. The meeting was co-chaired by Mr. Haji Rozaimee DP Haji Abdullah, Acting Head of Trade Promotion of Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade of Brunei Darussalam, and H.E. Mme. Yang Xiuping, Ambassador of the People's Republic of China to ASEAN. Representatives from China and ASEAN Member States as well as the ASEAN Secretariat attended the JC Meeting.
The Meeting adopted ACC's Annual Report of 2013, the Plan of Operation and Work Programme of 2014 as well as the Proposed Budget of Operational Expenditure of 2014, which would guide ACC's work in the year 2014. The Meeting agreed to convene the 4th Meeting of the Joint Council of ACC in the last quarter of 2014.
In the morning of the same day, the 3rd meeting of the Joint Executive Board of ACC was convened.
ACC Working Group Meetings
1. On 25 April 2014, a Working Group Meeting of the ACC was held at the ACC headquarters. Representatives from the Chinese Foreign Ministry and the ASEAN Embassies in China attended the Meeting. SG Ma Mingqiang spoke highly of the hard work done by the officials dispatched by the ASEAN Member States including Indonesia, Thailand and Laos, and expected the early assumption of post in the ACC by a Brunei official. SG Ma also requested for the continuous support of ACC Members in joint activities, inputs on project proposals, etc. ACC officials briefed the Meeting on the work progress of the ACC since the end of 2013, the upcoming events in 2014 and the preliminary working schedule for 2015.
2. On 7 August 2014, ACC officials and the focal points of ASEAN Embassies in Beijing met and exchanged views on how to further enhance ASEAN-China cooperation. SG Ma Mingqiang briefed the recent work of the ACC, expressed his appreciation to the ASEAN Embassies in Beijing for their continued support, and looked forward to more interactive communications and cooperations between the two sides. The focal points of ASEAN Embassies in Beijing commended the recent work of ACC, took note of the new projects and pledged their continued support to the ACC. The meeting was a continued ACC Working Group activity since the last Working Group Meeting on 25 April 2014, and also in response to the call by the Third Joint Executive Board (JEB) and Joint Council (JC) Meetings of the ACC in December 2013 to have more interactions with ASEAN Embassies in Beijing to improve ACC's work
Reception Celebrating the Second Anniversary of ACC
On 17 December 2013, ACC hosted a reception celebrating the 2nd anniversary of its establishment at Four Seasons Hotel in Beijing. Mr. Liu Zhenmin, Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs of the People's Republic of China, H.E. Mme. Magdalene Teo, Ambassador of Brunei Darussalam as the rotating ASEAN Chair of 2013, and Director-General Mr. Arthayudh Srisamoot of the Department of ASEAN Affairs of Foreign Ministry of Thailand as the representative of Country Coordinator for ASEAN-China dialogue relations, attended the function.
Chinese Vice Foreign Minister Liu Zhenmin commended and congratulated ACC for its remarkable achievements over the past two years to promote cooperation between China and ASEAN in trade, investment, education, culture, tourism and other areas. He expressed that as the host country, China will actively support ACC in its work and also hopes that ACC will make even greater efforts to this end. Ambassador Magdalene Teo highly appraised ACC's fruitful achievement and vital role in organizing a great number of important promotional trade and investment related activities, as well as to enhance public awareness of ASEAN through various cultural, educational and public relations exchanges. She believes that ACC will continue to play a more important role in promoting ASEAN-China relations.
ACC Participated in the 6th "Love Knows No Borders" International Charity Sale
On 19 October 2014, ACC participated in the 6th "Love Knows No Borders" International Charity Sale held in Beijing's Chaoyang Park. This event was hosted by Mme. Qian Wei, wife of the Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, with the theme of “Bring New Hope to the Heart of Poor Kids in Mountainous Areas”. The fund raised at the charity sale will be used to lend a helping hand to those children who suffer from congenital heart disease in mountainous areas in Guizhou Province of China. Supported by Yiwu ASEAN-China Products Trade and Exhibition Centre, ACC has prepared many ASEAN products for sale. Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi and his wife, together with H.E. Ambassador Victor Sikonina of the Republic of Madagascar, as Dean of the diplomatic corp in China, visited the booth of ACC. Nearly 3,000 visitors has been attracted to ACC booth. They purchased products and inquired about ACC. The sale was in a warm and friendly atmosphere.
Important visits
1. On 6 March 2014, SG Ma Mingqiang met with Ms. Anja T. Kaspersen, a senior advisor of the Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, who had just concluded visits to Brunei Darussalam, Malaysia and Myanmar. SG Ma briefed on the development and roles of ACC and highlighted major projects initiated by ACC to promote ASEAN-China cooperation in trade, investment and people-to-people connectivity. Ms. Kaspersen expressed her appreciation for SG Ma's briefing and perspectives. She said that Norway plans to enhance cooperation with ASEAN and is eager to learn experience from ASEAN's important dialogue partners such as China. Both sides also exchanged views on a wide range of issues including building of an ASEAN Community, narrowing development gap among ASEAN Member States and relevant capacity building programs and initiatives.
2. On 8 April 2014, a more than 40 people delegation of the ministerial representatives of culture from 10 ASEAN countries visited ACC after attending the Opening Ceremony of 2014 ASEAN-China Cultural Exchange Year. SG Ma Mingqiang gave a warm welcome to the delegation and led the high-level representatives tour the photo exhibition on the development of ACC and ASEAN-China relations. Highlights were a series of cutural and art activities organized by ACC in 2014 ASEAN-China Cultural Exchange Year, in response to the consensus agreed by the leaders of ASEAN and China at the 16th ASEAN-China Summit in October 2013 in Bandar Seri Begawan. Representatives elaborated on their countries' initiatives in enhancing cultural cooperation between ASEAN and China. The delegation spoke highly of ACC's important roles in promoting ASEAN-China relations and commended ACC for its excellent preparation for this visit. CCTV, CRI, People.cn, and Huanqiu.com widely covered the event.
3. On 18 April 2014, SG Ma Mingqiang met with Tan Sri Dr. Koh Tsu Koon, a member of the Malaysian Senate and the former Minister in the Prime Minister's Department of Malaysia and Chief Minister of Penang (State). SG Ma led Dr. Koh tour the photo exhibition on the development of ACC and ASEAN-China relations at the ASEAN Hall of ACC, and briefed on the organizational structure and development of ACC. Both sides agreed that it was important for China and ASEAN countries to increase exchange and cooperation on data collecting with the aim of promoting bilateral cooperation in all fields.
4. On 17 June 2014, SG Ma Mingqiang met with Dr. Laohoua Cheuching, Deputy Director General of Foreign Trade Policy Department, Lao Ministry of Industry and Commerce. SG Ma briefed Dr. Laohoua on ACC's efforts and work plans in promoting trade and investment, and elaborated in details on its initiative of establishing ASEAN products trade centers in China and promote two-way investment through ASEAN-China Investment Consortium. Dr. Laohoua congratulated ACC on its great achievements in the past years and appreciated highly for ACC's efforts to promote the pragmatic cooperation in areas of trade and investment. He also emphasised that as top priorities of upgrading ASEAN-China FTA, more investment in less-developed ASEAN countries and SMEs' capacity building projects will further consolidate ASEAN-China win-win cooperation, which deserves more attention and support from governments of both sides.