Attending China-ASEAN Expo 2023, Vice President Welcomed To Dance 12 Guangxi Tribes

JAKARTA - Vice President Ma'ruf Amin arrived in the city of Nanning, Guangxi Zhuang, China. The Vice President's arrival to attend the opening of the 2023 China-ASEAN Expo (CAEXPO) and the 20th China-ASEAN Business Investment Summit.

In addition, the Vice President is also scheduled to meet with Chinese Prime Minister (PM) Li Qiang and Autonomous Region Governor Guangxi Zhuang Lan Tianli.

Arriving at Wuxu International Airport, Nanning, on Friday 15 September, the Vice President and Mrs. Wury Amin and their entourage were greeted with traditional dances and songs representing 12 tribes from Guangxi Province.

The vice president was also greeted by Deputy Chairman of the National Grand Congress of Guangxi Province (head of Deputy Governor) Zhou Jiabin, Deputy Director General of Foreign Affairs of Guangxi Province, Zhou Tong, Indonesian Ambassador to China and Mongolia Djauhari Oratmangun and Mrs. Sih Elsiwi Handayani Oratmangun, Indonesian Consul General for Guangzhou Ben Perkasa Drajat and Mrs. Hervati Sari Drajat and the Indonesian Defense Attache (Athan) Beijing Colonel Mar Benny Poltak Nadeak and Mrs. Desy Sulastri Tampubolon.

Previously, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Mao Ning said this year marks the 10th anniversary of the "Belt and Road Initiative" and the 20th anniversary of the "Treaty of Amity and Cooperation in Southeast Asia" commemoration.

"China has been ASEAN's biggest trading partner for 14 consecutive years, and both sides have been the largest trading partner for three consecutive years. By 2022, China-ASEAN trade exceeded $970 billion, up 11.2 percent compared to the previous year while in July this year, the accumulated investment between China and ASEAN countries has surpassed $380 billion", Mao Ning said on Thursday, September 14.

Mao Ning said that CAEXPO 2023 is the main platform for deepening China-ASEAN cooperation and encouraging regional economic integration. CAEXPO 2023 carries the theme "Work Together for a Harmonious Home and a Shared Future "Promoting High-Quality Development of the Belt and Road and Building an Epicentrum of Growth".

"China hopes this activity will be an opportunity for all parties to explore opportunities and seek cooperation. We will seek to encourage liberalization and trade facilitation as well as investment between China and ASEAN, improve regional connectivity, build an open regional economy and encourage closer China-ASEAN community development," said Mao Ning.

CAEXPO is also scheduled to be attended by Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet, Laos Prime Minister Sonopay Sochaychai, Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, Vietnamese Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh, Deputy Prime Minister who is also Thailand's Minister of Trade Phamtham Wechayai and ASEAN Secretary General Kao Kim Hourn.

In Nanning, the Vice President plans to also open the City of Charts of Indonesia Pavilion, open the Indonesian Commodity Pavilion and conduct a "joint interview" together with Chinese media.

After a series of these events, Vice President Ma'ruf Amin and Mrs. Wury Ma'ruf Amin and their limited entourage will resume their working visit to Shanghai on Monday 18 September.