JABAR EKSPRES – ASEAN and China are seeking to boost relations between the two regions through the cultural proximity of Hainan as well as the port being built in the province.
“Hainan has geographical proximity, many Hainanese also visit Southeast Asia and even live in Southeast Asia, they have a long cultural closeness so now Hainan is a ‘China free port’ and with this Hainan can become a ‘pilot port’ to connect the two regions,” Secretary General of the ASEAN-China Center (ACC) Shi Zhongjun told in Beijing, China on Sunday night (8/27).
Shi Zhongjun said this on the sidelines of the “Grab A Bite of the Free Trade Port – Hainan and ASEAN Culture and Food Exchange” event which became a venue for introducing ASEAN and Chinese products. During the event, various foods from Hainan and ASEAN countries were served, including chicken satay and a performance of “Brocade Li”, a traditional cloth from the Li minority tribe on Hainan Island.
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Hainan is located in the southernmost region of China. The tropical province is an island of only about 33,210 square kilometers bordering Vietnam.
According to Zhongjun, over the decades ASEAN-China relations developed rapidly and continued to maintain its strong momentum and became a successful and dynamic example in the region.
“Since the beginning of this year, we have witnessed new achievements in the growth of relations between the two regions. In the first seven months, the total value of bilateral trade reached 519 billion US dollars and the total value is expected to reach 1 trillion US dollars this year, thanks to the full entry into force of RCEP (Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership) and the accelerated construction of China-ASEAN FTA 3.0,” Zhongjun added.
Zhongjun said educational programs, cultural events, and tourism initiatives are in a strong recovery stage after the pandemic, facilitating greater understanding, appreciation and friendship between ASEAN and China.
