Deputy Secretary-General Nararya S. Soeprapto highlighted the role of local cooperation and media engagement in advancing ASEAN–China relations during events in Liaoning Province
Deputy Secretary-General of ASEAN for Community and Corporate Affairs Nararya S. Soeprapto delivered remarks at the 2026 Liaoning International Friendship Cities Conference, held in Liaoning Province, China. The conference took place alongside the 2026 ASEAN–China Media Cooperation Forum and brought together representatives from local governments, industries, institutions, and media organisations to strengthen regional cooperation and people-to-people exchanges.
The Friendship Cities Conference served as a platform to promote practical collaboration among local authorities, businesses, and academic institutions, while the ASEAN–China Media Cooperation Forum focused on enhancing mutual understanding and fostering closer connections between the peoples of ASEAN and China. The events formed part of broader efforts to deepen engagement and cooperation across multiple sectors.
Deputy Secretary-General Nararya underscored the importance of subnational partnerships and media cooperation in supporting ASEAN–China relations. He highlighted how friendship city networks contribute to practical cooperation in areas such as economic development, education, cultural exchange, and institutional capacity-building. He also noted the role of media collaboration in promoting greater understanding, dialogue, and connectivity between communities across the region.
He further emphasised that the two events reflected the growing depth and scope of ASEAN–China cooperation. He noted that local governments, industries, educational institutions, and media organisations have become increasingly important stakeholders in translating regional partnerships into tangible benefits for communities.
The conference and forum were held as ASEAN and China commemorated the 35th anniversary of their Dialogue Relations and the fifth anniversary of the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership (CSP). The milestones highlighted the continued evolution of ASEAN–China ties into a broad-based partnership encompassing political, economic, socio-cultural, and people-to-people cooperation.
Source: The ASEAN Secretariat
