The 10th Conference on China-ASEAN People-to-people Friendship was held in Bandar Seri Begawan, capital of Brunei Darussalam from 3 to 5, November, 2015. The conference was attended by representatives from friendship associations, non-governmental organizations and business communities of China and ASEAN countries. Her Excellency Madame Gu Xiulian, President of China-ASEAN Association was invited to the conference.
Through the two-day conference themed by “Together We Thrive as Friends, Together We Share Peace and Prosperity”, participants had broad and open discussions over the past exchanges and cooperation between China and ASEAN in various fields, and contributed their ideas and proposals in expanding people-to-people friendship, increasing mutual trust and promoting future development between the two sides.
On the sidelines of the conference and panel discussions, the participants were impressed by a cultural exhibition of traditional Chinese arts and handicrafts including paper-cutting, dough modeling, inside-bottle painting, handmade kites, etc., and a China-ASEAN photo exhibition on culture. On the evening of the 4th, the event came to its climax when participants were joined by a local audience of more than 3,000 people in a grand and dazzling cultural performance demonstrating different cultures of China and each ASEAN country.
During her stay in Brunei, Madame Gu Xiulian met with Her Royal Highness Princess Hajah Masnah, Ambassador-at-large at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade. She and delegates from ASEAN countries also visited the 93-years-old Chung Hwa Middle School (CHMS BSB) and attended the celebration of the 10th anniversary of the founding of the Brunei-China Friendship Association (BCFA). Madame Gu was awarded by the conference the title of “ASEAN-China People-to-people Friendship Ambassador”.
The Conference was hosted by the BCFA. Also present at relevant events were YB Pehin Orang Kaya Seri Kerna Dato Seri Setia (Dr) Haji Awang Abu Bakar bin Haji Apong, Minister of Home Affairs, YB Pehin Orang Kaya Indera Pahlawan Dato Seri Setia Haji Suyoi bin Haji Osman, Minister of Education, YB Dato Paduka Haji Ali bin Haji Apong, Minister of Primary Resources and Tourism, YM Pg Dato Paduka Hj Abd Rahman Pg Seri Indera Pg Hj Ismail, Chairman of the Bandar Seri Begawan Municipal Board and Her Excellency Madame Yang Jian, Ambassador of the People’s Republic of China to Brunei Darussalam.