A more than 40 people delegation of the ministerial representatives of culture from 10 ASEAN countries visited ASEAN-China Centre (ACC) on April 8 after attending in the Opening Ceremony of 2014 ASEAN-China Cultural Exchange Year.

Ma Mingqiang, Secretary-General of ACC 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 in the annex room of ACC ASEAN Hall.

Lada Phumas, Director of Information and Public Relations Division of ACC briefed the delegation on mandate, roles and activities of ACC to promote ASEAN-China cooperation in the fields of trade, investment, culture, education, tourism, information and public 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.

ACC invited some inheritance people of intangible cultural heritages to demonstrate their remarkable technics, such as Clay Figurine Zhang, Yangliuqing New Year Painting, Ninghe County Paper-cutting, Root-carving, Gourd-carving, Pottery-making, and etc. The ministerial representatives were attracted to each stall and watched the demonstration with great interest. Some delegates tried by themselves.

Then the artists from China National Ethnic Song and Dance Ensemble presented to the delegation wonderful performance of folk musical instrument playing, singing and dancing of 5 Chinese ethnic minorities of Zhuang, Mongolian, Ughur, Tibetan and Manchu. The delegation held their mobile phones or cameras to record these beautiful moments.

During the on-site interviews with major Chinese media, the ministerial representatives elaborated on their countries' initiatives in enhancing cultural cooperation between ASEAN and China. Ma stated in his interview that there was high expectation of strenthening cooperation between ASEAN and China on both the governmental and grassroot level. Frequent cultural exchanges and deepened mutual understanding between ASEAN and China could lay solid foundation for the development of ASEAN-China relationship. He believed cultural exchanges would play an important role for promoting ASEAN-China all-round cooperation.

The delegation spoke highly of ACC's important roles in promoting ASEAN-China relations and commended ACC for its excellent preparation for this visit. They also affirmed the importance of the cultural exchanges which would help enhance people-to-people connectivity, create mutual trust and better understanding between the peoples of ASEAN and China.

(Source: ASEAN-China Centre)