-- To deepen cultural and economic exchanges between China and ASEAN countries and promote outstanding traditional local culture to the global stage, the “Join Hands with ASEAN, Meet in Dezhou — Dezhou Cultural Outreach and Intangible Cultural Heritage Experience Promotion Event” was successfully held in Beijing on May 23. The event was jointly organized by the China-ASEAN Centre, the Dezhou Municipal People’s Government of Shandong Province, and the Foreign Affairs Office of the People’s Government of Shandong Province, creating an international platform for connectivity, mutual benefit, and cooperation between Dezhou and ASEAN countries.
Shi Zhongjun, Secretary-General of the China-ASEAN Centre; Li Hong, Deputy Director of the Foreign Affairs Office of Shandong Province; and Chen Haiming, Vice Mayor of Dezhou, attended the event and delivered remarks. Ambassadors and diplomatic representatives from several countries, including Philippine Ambassador to China Jaime FlorCruz, Cambodian Ambassador to China Khek Caimealy Sysoda, and Myanmar Ambassador to China U Tin Maung Swe, also attended the event to strengthen cultural ties and discuss future cooperation opportunities.
More than 200 guests participated in the event, including officials from ASEAN embassies in China, representatives of ASEAN business associations and tourism organizations in China, Chinese and international media representatives, and ASEAN students studying in China. The event featured a vibrant atmosphere and broad participation.
In his remarks, Shi Zhongjun highly praised the successful organization of the event. He noted that China and ASEAN countries enjoy geographical proximity, cultural affinity, and longstanding friendship, supported by close exchanges and practical cooperation over the years. He expressed hope that the Dezhou cultural and intangible cultural heritage promotion event would further enhance mutual understanding and cultural recognition between Chinese local cities and ASEAN countries, while exploring broader cooperation potential and expanding collaboration in multiple fields. He added that the China-ASEAN Centre will continue to support regular exchanges and cooperation between China and ASEAN countries in areas such as culture, economy, tourism, and people’s livelihood, providing an efficient and international platform for local governments to conduct foreign exchanges.
Li Hong introduced the achievements of Shandong Province in international cultural exchange and intangible cultural heritage preservation. She stated that intangible cultural heritage serves as a vivid carrier of traditional Chinese culture and an important bridge for fostering people-to-people connectivity and mutual learning among civilizations. She emphasized that the Foreign Affairs Office of Shandong Province will take this event as an opportunity to further strengthen cooperation and exchanges with ASEAN countries through regular cultural activities, including intangible cultural heritage exhibitions, skills exchanges, and folk customs interactions, while sharing the unique charm of Qilu culture through vivid heritage stories.
Chen Haiming delivered a special presentation highlighting Dezhou’s cultural and tourism resources, historical heritage, industrial strengths, and achievements in opening-up. He noted that Dezhou, located in Shandong Province, China, has a long history and rich cultural traditions, abundant intangible cultural heritage resources, and cultural tourism industries, making it an important inheritor of Qilu culture. He added that Dezhou will continue to leverage its local strengths, actively align with ASEAN market demands, and deepen practical cooperation in culture, industry, trade, and tourism to achieve complementary advantages and mutual development.
The event featured a variety of highlights. Dezhou organized participation from 25 cultural enterprises, industry associations, and performing arts groups, showcasing more than 100 types of intangible cultural heritage products, artworks, and artistic performances. The displays comprehensively presented the beauty of Dezhou’s traditional craftsmanship, the charm of its cultural heritage, and the vitality of its urban development. Intricate handmade heritage products, culturally rich artworks, and distinctive local performances attracted strong interest and active among attendees.
Following the event, diplomatic representatives and guests attended a special cultural performance and visited a themed exhibition on Dezhou’s intangible cultural heritage, further deepening their understanding and recognition of the city’s culture, tourism industry, and development potential.
The successful hosting of the event marked an important step for Dezhou in promoting its intangible cultural heritage and Qilu culture to ASEAN countries and the international community, while also demonstrating the city’s commitment to expanding foreign exchanges and opening-up. Looking ahead, Dezhou will continue to use culture as a driver for international engagement, deepen its presence in ASEAN markets, promote the revitalization and global outreach of intangible cultural heritage, and strengthen economic and trade cooperation through people-to-people exchanges, enabling more international audiences to discover, understand, and connect with Dezhou while supporting the city’s high-quality international development.
Contact Info:
Name: Jiangdi
Email: Send Email
Organization: Dezhou Municipal People’s Government
Website: https://www.dezhou.gov.cn/n19182539/index.html
Release ID: 89193191
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