ASEAN-China week opens in Beijing
The ASEAN-China Week kicked off on May 23 in the Chinese capital of Beijing as part of activities to celebrate the 25th anniversary of China-ASEAN Dialogue Relations.
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The event drew the participation of Ambassadors from the ten member countries of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) as well as a number of the host country’s officials.
Speaking at the event, Vietnamese Ambassador to China Dang Minh Khoi said that the relationship between the bloc and China has developed strongly in the past 25 years.
ASEAN is China’s third largest trade partner while China has been one of the leading partners of the bloc since 2009, he said.
The ambassador added that the establishment of the ASEAN Community is a solid foundation for both sides to bring their relations to a new level.
At the opening ceremony, Secretary General of the ASEAN-China Centre (ACC) Yang Xiuping said that the ACC will continue serving as a bridge to boost exchanges between the Chinese Government and ASEAN member nations, actively contributing to the relations among the two sides’ people.
Within the framework of the Week, which runs until May 29, a series of activities are being organised, including seminars, forums, exhibitions, and cultural festivals.
Last year, two-way trade between China and ASEAN reached US$472.2 billion and direct investment worth over US$150 billion was reported.
Over 18 million bilateral visits were made between the two sides in the year.
