"The media plays an important role in promoting mutual understanding and in improving the relations between ASEAN and China. Indonesia is the largest country in ASEAN and also has the largest population in ASEAN with a lot of cultural diversities" ASEAN-China Central Secretary General (ACC) Yang Xiuping said here on Tuesday.
The ACC invites seven Chinese mass media such as the English-language Global Times newspaper, CNTV television network, China Daily, as well as Jiangxi Radio and Television.
Yang Xiuping added that ASEAN and China are committed to mutual support and development, including in enhancing tourism cooperation between ASEAN and China, especially this year which is the year of ASEAN tourism cooperation.
In 2015 the number of visits of ASEAN and Chinese tourists reached 23.64 million people. The number consists of 17.9 million Chinese tourists travelling to ASEAN countries, and 6.55 million ASEAN tourists to China.
While in Indonesia, the Chinese journalists visited Seribu Islands, and several cultural objects in Jakarta.
"I have been to Indonesia several times for assignments, but I havent visited all areas as Indonesia has almost 17 thousand islands," the former Chinese Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary Ambassador to ASEAN, said.
Meanwhile, ACCs Director of Information and Public Relations Division Vithit Powattanasuk said the center has been instrumental in strengthening ASEAN and China relations in the fields of culture, education, tourism, trade and investment.
"But it would be meaningless without support from ASEAN countries and Chinese media. Media has an important role to play to introduce ACC and its role in enhancing ASEAN and China relations," Powattanasuk said.
Related to the role of the media, Powattanasuk continued, ACC routinely invites media from ASEAN countries to visit one area in China, and in turn the Chinese media visit one of the ASEAN countries.
In 2016 the ACC invited ASEAN countries media to visit Yunnan and Jiangsu while the Chinese media were invited to visit Cambodia and Vietnam.
"In 2017 we invite Chinese media to visit the Philippines as the Chair of ASEAN, and one of the ASEAN countries, Indonesia. We hope the program is interesting, especially next year is the year of ASEAN-China tourism cooperation" Powattanasuk said.
Powattanasuk hoped that the cooperation between the ACC and the media will be closer and stronger over time. "ACC is only five years old, and therefore it needs to grow better in order to provide the best for ASEAN and China relations," Powattansuk added.(*)
Editor: Heru Purwanto
Copyright © ANTARA 2017
