On August 23rd, Professor Liu Jisen, deputy secretary general of GRIIS and Professor Lin Minghua, expert on ASEAN issues of Faculty of Asian Languages and Cultures of Guangdong University of Foreign Studies attended the China-ASEAN Interchanging Strategic Seminar in Beijing at invitation as representatives of the scholars of Guangdong think-tank.
The seminar was hosted by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the People's Government of the Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region and undertaken by China Foreign Affairs University and the Secretariat of China ASEAN Expo. It is one of a series of commemorative activities for 20th Anniversary of the Establishment of Dialogic Relationship between China and ASEAN. 140 representatives from governments, enterprise, hanks, think-tank and ASEAN secretariat from China and the 10 countries of ASEAN discussed the interchanging cooperation and development orientation in the future on the topics of China-ASEAN interchanging and system building, industrial cooperation and local motions.
Liu Zhenmin, assistant minister of Ministry of Foreign Affairs addressed on the opening ceremony of the seminar. He said that the 20 years after the establishment of dialogic relationship between China and ASEAN saw practical work in more than 20 fields and a series of cooperation platforms such as China ASEAN Expo, which promoted the economic and social development of both sides. The interchanging of the two is comprehensive, penetrating and strategic, including "hardware" and "software". The former included the interchanging of infrastructure and transportation.
Recently, there has been progress in the road and air interchanging. Next focus will be the building of the connection on the sea. For the "software", first is the system interchanging with the improvement of China-ASEAN Free Trade Area to facilitate trade and the free flow of the production factors. Second is the emotion interchanging which could be done through non-governmental organizations, youth, women and media, so that to strengthen communications in the field of humanity, create a good environment for public opinion and lay social basis for good-neighborly and friendly relation.
After the opening ceremony, the representatives exchanges ideas on the topics of China-ASEAN interchanging and system building, industrial cooperation and local motions. This seminar offered an important reference for GRIIS to hold a series of China-ASEAN Strategic Cooperation Forums.
