On February 2, 2024, Premier Li Qiang of the State Council sent a congratulatory letter to the launching ceremony of the 2024 ASEAN-China Year of People-to-People Exchanges.

Li Qiang said that China and ASEAN countries are connected by mountains and rivers, share similar cultures and enjoy time-honored friendly exchanges. The two sides jointly contributed to the diverse and rich Asian culture, and created splendid civilizations. The Southeast Asia region has been an important hub on the Maritime Silk Road since ancient times. In his seven voyages to Southeast Asia and onward, Chinese navigator Zheng He left behind stories of friendly exchanges and economic engagement between China and Southeast Asian countries. The China-ASEAN comprehensive strategic partnership is now showing a sound momentum of growth, with fruitful outcomes of cooperation in various areas and continued new progress in the building of a China-ASEAN community with a shared future.

Li Qiang noted that as President Xi Jinping pointed out, to ensure that the tree of China-ASEAN friendship remains evergreen, the soil of social support for bilateral relations should be fertile. China hopes to work with ASEAN countries and take the ASEAN-China Year of People-to-People Exchanges as an opportunity to act on the Global Civilization Initiative, advocate Asian values featuring peace, cooperation, inclusiveness and integration, enhance mutual understanding and build closer bonds between the over 2 billion people of the two sides, foster a closer China-ASEAN community with a shared future, and build a peaceful, safe and secure, prosperous, beautiful and amicable common home.

Prime Minister Sonexay Siphandone of Laos, the rotating chair of ASEAN, also sent a congratulatory letter to the launching ceremony.