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| The 5th Meeting of Leaders of ASEAN-China Friendship Organizations. (Photo: Organizing Committee) |
At the invitation of the Chinese People's Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries (CPAFFC), the Vietnamese delegation, led by President of the Viet Nam Union of Friendship Organizations (VUFO) Phan Anh Son, attended the 5th Meeting of Leaders of ASEAN-China Friendship Organizations.
Held under the theme “Pooling strength for a brighter future,” the event brought together nearly 100 delegates representing 16 people-to-people organizations from 11 ASEAN countries and China. The meeting served as an important people-to-people diplomacy forum to strengthen connectivity, expand cooperation, and promote exchanges among friendship organizations in the region.
This year’s event marked the expansion of the ASEAN-China people-to-people diplomacy network with the participation of four new organizations: the Indonesia-China Friendship Association, the Thailand-China Cultural and Economic Association, the Singapore-China Association, and the Borneo-China Friendship Alliance.
Notably, although Timor-Leste officially joined ASEAN in October 2025, it does not yet have a friendship organization participating in the network. However, the attendance of a representative from the Embassy of Timor-Leste in China was viewed as a positive signal, opening prospects for further expansion of people-to-people cooperation in the region in the coming years.
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| President of the Viet Nam Union of Friendship Organizations Phan Anh Son attends the event. (Photo: Organizing Committee) |
During the program, leaders of ASEAN-China friendship organizations exchanged views on measures to strengthen friendship and cooperation among the peoples of their respective countries, while also proposing numerous initiatives to promote cultural exchanges, community connectivity, and cooperation across various fields.
A key topic of interest among delegates was the promotion of exchanges between ASEAN and Chinese youth through practical networking, exchange, and cooperation activities. Participants noted that expanding youth exchanges, strengthening people-to-people contacts, and establishing additional channels of connectivity would help advance the ASEAN-China people-to-people diplomacy network in a more substantive and in-depth manner, while creating a sustainable social foundation for relations among the countries involved.
Through exchange activities, networking efforts, and membership expansion, the 5th Meeting of Leaders of ASEAN-China Friendship Organizations further reaffirmed the role of people-to-people diplomacy in building trust, enhancing mutual understanding, and creating a solid social foundation for cooperation between ASEAN and China amid increasingly deep regional integration.
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| The 2026 RCEP local governments and friendship cities cooperation forum. (Photo: Organizing Committee) |
As part of the program, ASEAN delegations also attended the opening ceremony of the 2026 RCEP local governments and friendship cities cooperation forum (Huangshan) in Huangshan City, Anhui Province. The event is expected to contribute to stronger links among localities, expand opportunities for practical cooperation between friendship cities, and promote regional connectivity.
Source: Vietnamtimes
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