Depth report

　　

On the morning of July 26, 2024, Syed Buckley, President of the Malaysian Institute of Foreign Affairs and International Relations, led a delegation of young diplomats from Malaysia to visit the China-Asean Center. Mr. Shi Zhongjun, Secretary-General of China-Asean Center, and heads of various departments discussed and exchanged views with the delegation.

Shi Zhongjun welcomed Buckley and his delegation to visit and briefed them on the current situation of the vigorous development of China-Asean comprehensive strategic partnership and the major work of the China-Asean Center in recent years. In particular, under the background of the 50th anniversary of China-Malaysia diplomatic ties and the China-Asean People-To-People Exchange Year, China has held a number of economic, trade and people-to-people exchanges with Malaysia and other ASEAN countries. It has played an important role in enhancing bilateral friendship and mutual trust and deepening mutually beneficial cooperation.

Shi Zhongjun stressed that despite the complex and changing world pattern and numerous challenges, multi-polarization and economic globalization are still the general trend of The Times, and seeking cooperation and development is the common aspiration of people in the region. As the world's second and fifth largest economies and an important country in the global South, China and ASEAN are at a critical stage of development. Our practical cooperation has yielded fruitful results and we have even more potential to achieve in the future.

Shi Zhongjun sent a message to Malaysian young diplomats, hoping that through this visit, they will have a comprehensive understanding and in-depth understanding of China, China-Malaysia relations and China-Asean relations, give full play to their diplomatic expertise and wisdom, and make positive contributions to the continuous development of China-Asean comprehensive strategic partnership.

Buckley thanked the ASEAN-China Center for its warm reception and stressed that ASEAN-China relations have deep roots and become stronger over time. As the only intergovernmental organization jointly established by ASEAN countries and China, the Center has made outstanding contributions to promoting bilateral cooperation in trade, investment, education, culture, tourism, media and other fields. Through this visit, Malaysian young diplomats have a more comprehensive and in-depth understanding of the development of ASEAN-China relations and the important role of the China-Asean Center, which will be of great help to them in their future diplomatic career.

Buckley said that the Malaysian Institute of Foreign Affairs and International Relations is looking forward to strengthening cooperation with the China-Asean Center, enhancing exchanges through mutual visits of diplomats and joint training, and further enriching the connotation of ASEAN-China comprehensive strategic partnership.

During the discussion, Shi also exchanged views with the young diplomats on the prospects of China-Asean relations, the process of regional economic integration, and challenges in the era of digital economy.