By ASEAN-China Centre (ACC)

On May 30, 2018, the 3rdASEAN Gourmet Festival:the Golden Land Myanmar, jointly sponsored by ASEAN-China Centre (ACC), the Embassy of the Republic of the Union of Myanmar in Beijing and Beijing Tourism Group (BTG), was officially opened in Beijing Minzu Hotel.

H.E. Mme Yang Xiuping, Secretary-General of ASEANChina Centre, H.E. Mr. Aye MyintKyu, former Minister of Culture of Myanmar, H.E. Mr. U Yee Mon, Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Hotels and Tourism of Myanmar,H.E. Mr. Thit Linn Ohn, Ambassador of the Embassy of Myanmar, H.E Mrs. KhekCaimealy, Ambassador of Cambodia, H.E. Mr. Djauhari, Oratmangun, Ambassador of Indonesia, H.E. Mr. PiriyaKhempon, Ambassador of Thailand, H.E. Mr. Dang Minh Khoi, Ambassador of Viet Nam, H.E. Mr. TauaikaUtaatu, Ambassador of Tonga,Mme. Tian Yan, Standing Vice President of Beijing People’s Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries,Mme. Zhao Hui, Director-General of Foreign Affairs and Overseas Chinese Affairs Office of Jiang Xi Province,Ms. Hou Danna, Executive Deputy Director of Office of Foreign Missions, Counsellor of Protocol Department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of China, Mr. Yuan Shouyuan,Standing Vice General-Manager of BTG Home Inn Hotel Group, Mr. Jiang Xiaoming, General-Manager of High-end business department of BTG Home Inn Hotel Group, Mme.Xia Minhui, General-Manager of Beijing Minzu hotel,representatives from ASEAN Embassies, officials from relevant Chinese Governmental Departments and media, in total around 100 people attended the opening ceremony.

Secretary-General Yang Xiuping said in her speech that,2018 is the 15thanniversary of ASEAN-China strategic partnership and the ASEAN-China Year of Innovation. It is an important year for greater development of ASEANChina relations. In May this year, Chinese Premier Li Keqiang paid an official visit to Indonesia, during which he met Secretary-General of ASEAN Secretariat and attended the launching activities to celebrate the 15thanniversary of ASEAN-China strategic partnership. These efforts inject new energy to ASEAN-China cooperation. Myanmar is a country with time-honored history. Myanmar and China enjoy long-lasting Pauk-Phaw friendship. At present,Myanmar-China relations maintain a good momentum of development and broad prospects for practical cooperation.

The 3rdASEAN Gourmet Festival will present not only authentic Myanmar cuisine, but also the country’s performing arts, traditional handicrafts and the unique features of its tourism, providing a great opportunity for local people to experience the Myanmar charm. She hoped that this gourmet festival could become a new highlight in commemoration of the 15thanniversary of ASEAN-China strategic partnership, so as to deepen Myanmar-China and ASEAN-China cultural exchanges, and contribute to the joint building of the Belt and Road.

Ambassador Thit Linn Ohn appreciated ACC for inviting the Embassy to co-sponsor the festival. He said, this festival, themed on the Golden Land Myanmar, is aimed at promoting cultural ties of Myanmar and China, building platform for exchange of information and deepening mutually beneficial cooperation. In recent years, Myanmar-China relations have maintained a strong development momentum and the bilateral exchanges and cooperation between the two countries have been going on in an allaround manner. With Myanmar’s unique food culture and rich tourism and culture resources, this festival is expected to play a positive role in further enhancing mutual exchanges, tourism, investment and trade development.

Mr. Yuan Shouyuan said, BTG as a domestic comprehensive tourism service corporation, would like to take tourism service as cooperation priority and set up communication platforms with Myanmar and other ASEAN Member States in this regard. Minzu hotel, one of the brand hotels under the framework of BTG, has been committed to build multiculture gourmet festivals. In this February, Minzu Hotel organized Chinese Food Festival in Myanmar and was very well received by local people. The hotel will keep on carrying out gourmet activities to enhance exchanges and cooperation among countries along the Belt and Road and provide convenience for Chinese guests to experience exotic food and culture.

At the opening ceremony, VIP guests hit the drum to make blessing and cut the ribbon to launch the festival. All participants tasted Myanmar food and watched Myanmar lively performances. The 3rdASEAN Gourmet Festival will last for two weeks, presenting not only Myanmar cuisine,but also traditional handicrafts and unique features of its tourism.