Mekong Institute : Activities of the MI Director in China from 5 - 6 March 2009 Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, China

Activities of the MI Director in China from 5 - 6 March 2009 Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, China

On Thursday, 5 March, Ms. Li Khang, Vice Governor of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region welcomed the delegation to Guangxi. She gave a presentation on the background of Guangxi region, and told the delegation that Guangxi is looking forward to work with MI in the future.


MI's objectives of the visit to Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region were to appreciate the latest development in the region, establish connections and explore cooperation opportunities.	Mr. Lin Guoqiang, the Vice Chairman of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference Guangxi Committee, hosted the dinner for the MI Director and delegates.


Other meetings that day included an official visit to Guangxi University for Nationalities, where the delegation met with Prof. Ron Benzhen, Vice President. They exchanged presentations on their learning programs and discussed about future cooperation between the two organizations..	Dr. Katima and MI delegates also continued their bilateral meetings at Guangxi University with Mr. Yang Guoliang, the Secretary of Guangxi University Committee of CPC. They discussed issues of mutual cooperation.

In the afternoon, a meeting with government officials of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region was held at Mingyuan hotel, Nanning City. Mr. Gu Hang, Deputy Director-General, Department of Foreign Affairs; Mr. Wei Gangquiang, Deputy Director-General, Personnel Department; Mr. Lin Ning, Director-General, Department of Education; Mr. Li Jiangliang, Deputy Director, Division 1 of ASEAN Affairs, Department of Commerce. The delegation presented MI background to the meeting, and took this opportunity to invite the officials to visit MI Residential Training Centre in Khon Kaen, Thailand. Guangxi government officials were interested in cooperating with MI.

A meeting with Guangxi Academy of Social Sciences took place on the morning of Friday, 6 March. MI delegation was welcomed by Mr. Lu Yu Sheng, Director of Guangxi Academy of Social Sciences; Mr. Zhao Minglong, Director of Institute of Ethnic Economy Studies; Mr. Gu Xiao Song, Vice Director of Academy and Director of Institute of Southeast Asian Studies; and Mr. Nong Li fu, Dean of Faculty of Southeast Asian Language and Culture, Guangxi Dongfang Foreign Langue College. The discussions were on cooperation between MI and Guangxi Academy of Social Sciences. Since Nanning City is hosting the 6th China-ASEAN Expo in October 2009, both organizations will work together on a regional workshop and structured learning visit from MI Residential Training Centre to Nanning via R9 (EWEC) and R5 (NSEC). The route also passes through Lao and Vietnam. They will engage in a joint research program on tourism opportunities on R5 and R9. A proposal will be submitted to the Asia Development Bank ? Phnom Penh Plan.