Ambassador Erlinda F. Basilio led the officers and staff of the Embassy in welcoming to the chancery on 13 August 2015, a select group of 19  delegates to this year’s annual Yale Model UN (YMUN) China Conference and Preparatory Institute, a partnership between the Yale International Relations Association and the China Association for Model United Nations. The YMUN functions as a summer camp wherein participants are exposed to the different committees of a Model UN conference, such as the Security Council, UNESCO, etc. The delegates, who were accompanied by 11 local support and co-teaching staff members, are students from Chinese and international schools all over China.

A highlight of their visit to the Embassy was a briefing on Philippines-China relations and the work of the Philippine Embassy in Beijing given by Deputy Chief of Mission Evangeline Ong Jimenez-Ducrocq. During the animated open forum and interaction, the delegates showed strong interest in diplomacy and international relations as they raised questions and comments on various issues such as ASEAN, the specifics of working as a diplomat and the Embassy’s consular functions particularly its visa procedures.

The delegates interacted further with the Ambassador and the Embassy’s officers  with more questions on their specific functions and roles in the Embassy as well as Embassy’s projects and activities during the refreshments that were offered to the student-guests.