Tianjin University (TJU) through China’s Excellence Alliance, China E9, an alliance of nine excellent engineering universities, and eight ASEAN universities have established ACNET-EngTech, in order to foster the cooperation, and jointly construct “the Economic Belt of the Silk Road”, and “the 21st-Century Maritime Silk Road”. The ACNET-EngTech Secretariat on the Chinese side is located at TJU.

On March 27, 2015, the 1st Meeting of ACNET-EngTech, the Opening Ceremony of ACNET-EngTech Secretariat, and the China-ASEAN Cultural Festival of Maritime Silk Road was held at Tianjin University. The inaugural meeting was attended by representatives of ten Chinese Universities (the E9 and Guangxi University) and seven universities from Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, and Thailand, and SEAMEO RIHED. TJU President Professor Li Jiajun welcomed the delegates, and spoke about the aim and significance of this meeting. The meeting was chaired by Professor Hu Wenping, Assistant President of TJU.

During the meeting the Charter of ACNET-EngTech was deliberated and its operations were in principle passed. Both China and ASEAN established their respective standing Chairs, and it was agreed that the Chair would be rotated between the Chinese and ASEAN universities. The 1st General Assembly of ACNET-EngTech would be held in Thailand at the end of the year.

The Inauguration Ceremony of ACNET-EngTech Secretariat & China-ASEAN Cultural Festival of Maritime Silk Road was held on the same day at TJU. In addition to the Secretariat, other attendees included Ms. Chen Yinghui, Deputy Director-General of the Department of International Cooperation and Exchange of the Ministry of Education of China, His Excellency Mr. Somdy Bounkhoum, Ambassador of the Laos Embassy, Ms. Huang Ying, Acting Secretary General of ASEAN-China Center, Ms. Fan Yingzi, Deputy Director General of Tianjin Municipal Science and Technology Commission, and representatives of the Philippine Embassy, Tianjin Municipal Foreign Affairs Office and Tianjin Municipal Education Committee.　

Professor Liu Jianping, TJU Chairman of the CPC Standing Committee attended the ceremony and gave the welcome address. 　Chairman Liu Jianping expressed his appreciation for the support of ACNET-EngTech given by all parties. He then spoke about TJU’s contribution and expressed his best wishes for the development of ACNET-EngTech, and the cooperation between China and ASEAN, and the revival of the Maritime Silk Road. The Inauguration Ceremony of ACNET-EngTech Secretariat was hosted by Professor Hu of Tianjin University (TJU).

Dr. Chantavit Sujatanond, Special Advisor of SEAMEO RIHED, emphasized that the ACNET-EngTech Secretariat would promote the multilateral and multidimensional cooperation in engineering education between China and ASEAN.

Ms. Huang Ying, Acting Secretary General of ASEAN-China Center, said that the ASEAN-China Center would continue to support ACNET-EngTech, promote the cooperation in education between China and ASEAN, and endeavor to strengthen China-ASEAN exchanges.

His Excellency Mr. Somdy Bounkhoum, Ambassador of the Laos Embassy, proposed that the cooperation in education was a vital means for ASEAN and China to jointly construct the “One Belt and One Road” policy.

Representatives from Mahidol University warmly invited all guests to the 1st ACNET-EngTech Representative Conference to be held in Thailand at the end of 2015.

Ms. Chen Yinghui hoped that the ACNET-EngTech would strengthen top-level designs of disciplines focussing on the breadth and depth of interdisciplinary exchanges,. This would 　achieve a win-win academic cooperation as well as mutual understanding, complementary gains, and development between universities, and lead to substantial progress in international education cooperation.

The ACNET-EngTech Secretariat was officially launched after the ribbon-cutting ceremony.

ASEAN exchange students from ACNET-EngTech then gave an entertaining performance. Representatives also visited the culture exhibition by the ASEAN students at TJU and the History Museum.

ACNET-EngTech evolved in September, 2014, at the 7th China-ASEAN Education Cooperation Week which was held in Guiyang, Guizhou Province. With the support of SEAMEO RIHED and ASEAN-China Center, the E9 led by Tianjin University, signed the Joint Declaration of ASEAN-China on Establishing Networks for Cooperation and Exchanges among Engineering and Technology Universities with eight universities from Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, and Thailand. 　ACNET-EngTech aims to develop high caliber talents, foster cultural and talents exchanges, and cooperation in education, science and technology between ASEAN and China, thus establishing the ASEAN-China cooperation in engineering education and promote mutual socioeconomic development.