Presidential Communications Operations Office (PCOO) Secretary Jose Ruperto Martin M. Andanar (Second row, Fifth from Left) poses with Chinese President Xi Jinping (Front row, Ninth from Right) and other foreign leaders for a group photo during the opening ceremony of the Conference on Dialogue of Asian Civilizations (CDAC) at the China National Convention Center (CNCC) in Beijing, China on 15 May 2019.  (Photo Courtesy of Xinhua News)

Filipino artists headed by Filipino singer, Ms. Aicelle Santos, perform during the Asian Culture Carnival held at the Beijing’s National Stadium (Bird’s Nest) in Beijing, China on 15 May 2019.  Ms. Santos performed the renowned Filipino song “Nais Ko” (I Want) while 30 members of the Lahing Batangan Dance Troupe, the official Philippine Folk Dance Company of the Lyceum of the Philippines University (Batangas City), rendered their version of the “Pandanggo sa Ilaw” (Dance of Lights). (Photo Courtesy of China Global Television Network)

23 MAY 2019 BEIJING, CHINA – High-level Philippine government officials participated in the Conference on Dialogue of Asian Civilizations (CDAC), which was held in China on 15-22 May 2019.

PCOO Secretary Jose Ruperto Martin M. Andanar led the Philippine delegation together with officials from the Cultural Center of the Philippines (CCP) and the Philippine Embassy in Beijing, China.

Under the theme of “Exchanges and Mutual Learning Among Asian Civilizations and a Community With a Shared Future”, the CDAC hosted an opening ceremony and six parallel sub-forums at the China National Convention Center in Beijing.

Chinese President Xi Jinping attended the CDAC opening ceremony and delivered a keynote speech entitled “Deepening Exchanges and Mutual Learning Among Civilizations For an Asian Community with a Shared Future”.

More than 2,000 experts from around the world, including heads of states, government officials and representatives from various sectors from 47 Asian countries and other countries outside the region attended the CDAC opening ceremony, thematic forums and related events.

Other CDAC events included a grand Asian Culture Carnival, an Asian Civilization Week, and an Asian food festival, featuring more than 110 activities which showcased the diversity and splendor of Asian civilizations. The Asian Civilization Week presented performances, film screenings and exhibitions. Asian food festivals were simultaneously held across Beijing, Hangzhou in Zhejiang Province, Guangzhou in Guangdong Province and Chengdu in Sichuan Province. -END-