The CPAFFC, China-ASEAN Association and Chengdu Municipal People’s Government hosted the 9th Conference on ASEAN-China People-to-People Friendship (CACPPF) from 18th to 20th September 2014, organized by Chengdu Municipal Office of Foreign Affairs and Chengdu Municipal People’s Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries in Chengdu of Sichuan province. Vice Chairman Ma Biao of the National Committee of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference, President Gu Xiulian of China-ASEAN Association, Chairman Tang Chuanping of Chengdu Committee of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference attended the Conference with ASEAN former state leaders, government ministers, ASEAN Secretariat officials, friendship-with-China associations’ leaders, diplomats accredited to China, local government officials, entrepreneurs as well as representative from cultural and media sectors.  Altogether around 300 delegates from China and abroad were present at the Conference.

Vice Chairman Ma Biao Dilivering Speech

H.E. Mr. Ma Biao made a key-note speech titled “Initiate a New Course for China and ASEAN by Oriental Wisdom”.  He pointed out that China and ASEAN are good neighbors, friends and partners.  Asian people traditionally value much the relationship of neighbors and observe honest treatment to friends.  At present, we should use oriental wisdom to solve disputes and consolidate harmony. China, India and Myanmar jointly initiated the Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence. Since last year, China has been advocating the guidelines of amity, sincerity, mutual benefit and inclusiveness in its neighborhood diplomacy and a series of proposals for building a closer community of common destiny.  All these have demonstrated the application of oriental wisdom. China-ASEAN relations have ushered in a mature “diamond decade” and the bilateral cooperation is on a fast track.  The two sides should proceed from a more pragmatic attitude and utilize more oriental wisdom for a new course of peace, friendship and cooperation.

President Gu Xiulian Addressing the Opening Ceremony

H.E. Madame Gu Xiulian addressed the opening ceremony. She said that China-ASEAN relations enjoy rapid development in recent years. People deeply understand the ideas of peace, friendship, cooperation, development, exchanges and mutual learning.  The key to realize safeguarding world peace and promoting common development is to make people in every country fully aware of the significance of peace and development to the humankind.  With this responsibility in mind, the CACPPF is committed to sowing seeds of friendship, building the bridge of cooperation and road of peace.

H.E. Mr. Tang Chuanping extended welcome to all delegates from home and abroad on behalf of Chengdu and expressed hope of deepening exchanges and cooperation given the impetus of the 9th CACPPF.

Former Prime Minister Tun Abdullah Badawi of Malaysia, former Secretary-General Dr.Surin Pitsuwan of ASEAN Secretariat, former Deputy Prime Minister Korn Dabbaransi of Thailand also gave speeches at the Conference on future development of China-ASEAN relations.

The 9th CACPPF adopted the Chengdu Declaration, stating that “China-ASEAN always be good neighbors, good friends and good partners” is the general trend and people’s common aspiration and that people in China and ASEAN countries should make concerted efforts in building a closer community of common destiny. 

CACPPF was originally name CACPPFO (Conference on ASEAN-China People-to-People Friendship Organizations), jointly initiated by CPAFFC, China-ASEAN Association and friendship-with-China organizations in ASEAN countries in 2006, with the purpose of establishing people-to-people exchange platform, promote mutual trust between Chinese and ASEAN people and push forward pragmatic cooperation.  The CACPPFO has been held annually in China, Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam and the Philippines.  After past eight years, the CACPPFO has become an important platform for China-ASEAN people-to-people exchanges and made significant contributions to the development of relations between China and ASEAN countries.

The theme of the 9th CACPPF is “China-ASEAN relations: new thinkings to the future”.  The Conference include opening and closing ceremonies as well as Summit Forum on ASEAN-China Relations, Forum on ASEAN-China Tourism, Forum on ASEAN-China Media and Forum on ASEAN-China Laboring and Employment. 

The 10th CACPPF will be held in Brunei in 2015.