DFA Undersecretary Lazaro Reaffirms Philippine Support for the ASEAN-China Centre

DFA Undersecretary for Bilateral Relations and ASEAN Affairs Ma. Theresa P. Lazaro meets ASEAN-China Centre Secretary-General Shi Zhongjun (third and fourth from left)

MANILA, 19 April 2023 – DFA Undersecretary for Bilateral Relations and ASEAN Affairs Ma. Theresa P. Lazaro conveyed the Philippines’ continued support for activities of the ASEAN-China Centre during the working visit to the Philippines of the Centre’s Secretary-General, Mr. Shi Zhongjun on 17 April 2023.

The ASEAN-China Centre is an intergovernmental organization based in Beijing co-founded by the ten (10) ASEAN Member States and China, tasked with promoting ASEAN-China relations in six (6) priority areas: trade, investment, education, culture, tourism, and information and public relations.

During the meeting, Secretary-General Shi highlighted key efforts of the ASEAN-China Centre to promote cooperation in these priority areas, including through supporting large-scale expos and forums and capacity-building for micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs). The Centre has also provided Chinese language training for tourism professionals and helped integrate the language into vocational training programs in ASEAN countries. 

The Centre regularly conducts cultural promotion activities, media exchanges, and conducted university visits, and has produced publications and used social media platforms to disseminate information about ASEAN in China.

For 2023, in addition to its regular forums, the ASEAN-China Centre plans to hold special forums focusing on economic cooperation and sustainable development. “We can expect the usual active participation of the Philippines in the activities of the ACC through the Philippine Embassy in Beijing and the Philippine Permanent Mission to ASEAN in Jakarta,” said Undersecretary Lazaro.

On trade and investment in particular, SG Shi commended the Philippines for its recent ratification of the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP). He likewise noted that the Philippines and China are continuing the constructive and productive interactions between the two countries during President Marcos’s state visit to China in January 2023. END