Chinese Assistant Minister of Foreign Affairs Kong Xuanyou (6th L, back row) and ambassadors of ASEAN countries and ASEAN Dialogue Partners in Beijing pose for photos at the Embassy of the Republic of Indonesia in Beijing, China, August 8, 2017. (Photo: Ecns.cn/Liang Meichen)
(ECNS) -- A flag-raising ceremony was held Tuesday in commemoration of the 50th Anniversary of the Association of Southeastern Asian Nations (ASEAN) at the Embassy of the Republic of Indonesia in Beijing.
Ambassadors of ASEAN countries and ASEAN Dialogue Partners in Beijing, as well as officials from related Chinese government agencies, attended the ceremony. The occasion marked a significant moment for the ASEAN Committee in Beijing.
ASEAN was established on August 8, 1967, in Bangkok, and has since played an important role in advancing an agenda of cooperation and partnership for peace, security, and prosperity in Southeast Asia, the Asia-Pacific region, and the rest of the world.
On Sunday, foreign ministers of ASEAN agreed that continued economic growth in China would benefit ASEAN members, and that the bloc anticipates a higher level of strategic partnership with China.
During the past 50 years, China and the ASEAN nations have harvested tremendous results in many areas, including two-way trade, said a joint communiqué issued on Sunday.
This year marks the 20th anniversary of the start-up of the 10+3 mechanism (ASEAN and its three dialogue partners - China, Japan and South Korea), and the year 2018 will mark the 15th anniversary of the establishment of the China-ASEAN strategic partnership.
The two sides aim to see more cooperation in areas such as infrastructure construction, tourism, air transportation, anti-corruption, and environmental protection.
(by Liang Meichen, China News Service website)
