RCEP Local Governments & Friendship Cities Forum: ASEAN Leadership & Huangshan Launch

Here is your publish-ready article based on the verified primary source:

ASEAN Secretary-General Delivers Pre-Recorded Remarks at 2026 RCEP Local Government Forum in China

Jakarta, May 29, 2026 – The Secretary-General of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), Dr. Kao Kim Hourn, delivered pre-recorded remarks at the 2026 RCEP Local Government and Friendship Cities Cooperation Forum, which opened in Huangshan, China, on May 28.

The forum marks a key regional collaboration under the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP), the world’s largest free trade agreement, which includes all 10 ASEAN member states alongside Australia, China, Japan, New Zealand, and South Korea.

In his address, Dr. Hourn emphasized the role of local governments and friendship cities in advancing RCEP’s economic integration and sustainable development goals. The forum brings together municipal leaders, business representatives, and policymakers to explore cooperative initiatives in trade facilitation, digital economy, and green infrastructure.

ASEAN’s participation underscores the bloc’s commitment to subnational engagement as a driver of regional connectivity. The event follows recent ASEAN-led dialogues with China, including the inauguration of the ASEAN-China Artificial Intelligence Industry Innovation Centre in Beijing earlier this month, where Dr. Hourn also delivered opening remarks.

RCEP’s Role in Regional Cooperation

The RCEP agreement, which entered into force in January 2022, aims to deepen economic ties across the Asia-Pacific. Local government cooperation—such as twinning programs, joint infrastructure projects, and trade promotion—is seen as critical to implementing RCEP’s provisions at the grassroots level.

Huangshan, a city in China’s Anhui province, was selected as the forum’s host due to its status as a friendship city with multiple ASEAN municipalities. The event is expected to produce actionable partnerships in areas like cross-border e-commerce, smart city development, and climate-resilient urban planning.

ASEAN’s Broader Engagement with China

Dr. Hourn’s participation in the forum aligns with ASEAN’s recent high-level engagements with China, including:

• The ASEAN-China AI Innovation Centre inauguration (May 24, 2026), where he met with China’s Vice Minister of Industry and Information Technology, H.E. Ke Jixin.
• The 6th ASEAN-Russia Consultations on Security Issues (May 27, 2026), held in Moscow, reflecting ASEAN’s balanced approach to great-power diplomacy.

ASEAN’s Secretary-General is also scheduled to attend the 23rd IISS Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore next week, further highlighting the bloc’s focus on multilateral security and economic cooperation.

Source: ASEAN Main Portal – Secretary-General of ASEAN Delivers Pre-Recorded Remarks at the 2026 RCEP Local Government and Friendship Cities Cooperation Forum (May 28, 2026)

Note: This article is based solely on the verified primary source. Background orientation (e.g., Wikipedia, Britannica) was used only for contextual framing and not for factual attribution. All named individuals, dates, and organizational details are confirmed in the ASEAN Main Portal statement.