On March 25, Kao Kim Hourn, Secretary-General of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), visited Sun Yat-sen University and gave a lecture on "Cooperation and Development under ASEAN-China Comprehensive Strategic Partnership" to students and faculty members. He was accompanied by Hou Yanqi, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of China to ASEAN, and Liu Chenzi, Director-General of the Foreign Affairs Office of the People's Government of Guangdong Province. President Gao Song and Executive Vice President Xiao Haipeng of Sun Yat-sen University met with the guests.

President Gao Song welcomed Secretary-General Kao Kim Hourn and introduced the university's fruitful achievements in cooperation with partners in ASEAN countries, and the history and development of Southeast Asian studies in the university. President Gao Song thanked Secretary-General for his interest in education, science and technology, and cultural exchanges between China and ASEAN, and looked forward to continuously deepening exchanges and cooperation with partners in this region with the support of the ASEAN Secretariat.

Professor Gao Song, President of Sun Yat-sen University, presented a souvenir to Kao Kim Hourn, Secretary-General of ASEAN. (Photo by Xiao Yao from Publicity Department)

Kao Kim Hourn said that as the founder and the former president of Cambodia University, he felt close to visiting Sun Yat-sen University. The ASEAN Secretariat will continue its efforts to promote cooperation and exchange between the two sides in the fields of education, science and technology, and culture.

Secretary-General Kao Kim Hourn gave a speech to students and faculty of Sun Yat-sen University. (Photo by Wang Jiahong from Publicity Department)

After the meeting, Secretary-General Kao Kim Hourn gave a lecture to students and faculty members of Sun Yat-sen University, and held a dialogue with them. He noted that ASEAN and China are good neighbors, reliable partners and good friends. The world is now facing many challenges, and ASEAN is willing to work with China to strengthen the comprehensive strategic partnership, preserve the hard-earned peace, promote common prosperity in the region, advance cooperation on sustainable development, deepen people-to-people exchanges and cooperation, and further create new development potentials. He hoped to promote exchanges between youth from both sides, enhance understanding and trust, and create excellent potential for friendly relations between ASEAN and China in the future.