China and the Association of the Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN)
signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) in Bangkok on Wednesday
on the sidelines of the ASEAN+3 cultural ministerial meeting to
consolidate cultural cooperation.
ASEAN +3 comprises the 10 ASEAN member countries and China,
Japan and South Korea.
The MOU, the first of its kind China has signed with a regional
bloc, stipulates that the parties concerned must actively promote
awareness, understanding and appreciation of each others' arts and
culture through artistic collaboration and exchange, joint research
and study, exchange of information and people-to-people exchange
and interaction.
The two sides are obliged to encourage and support the
conversation, protection and promotion of tangible and intangible
cultural heritage through programs in cultural heritage management,
protection of intellectual property rights and networking and
exchange among cultural heritage agencies and organizations.
Human resource development in the field of cultural and arts and
cooperation in the areas of cultural enterprise and creative
industries should also be promoted through various channels,
according to the MOU.
The MOU, signed against the backdrop of the expanding
China-ASEAN cooperation within the ASEAN+3 framework, is expected
to enrich the content of the comprehensive cooperation between the
two sides and signifies a new period of development in cultural
exchange and cooperation between China and ASEAN member countries,
according to an event press release.
When opening the two-day cultural meeting on Wednesday morning,
Thailand's Deputy Prime Minister Wissanu Krea-Ngam called for the
comprehensive implementation and monitoring as well as continued
follow-up of the agreement reached during the last cultural meeting
to realize the desired benefits for all
countries.??
(Xinhua News Agency August 4, 2005)