At the 7th ASEM Summit (ASEM7) held in October 2008 in Beijing, China, the initiative of an “ASEM Culture and Arts Festival” held in China was warmly welcomed and endorsed by ASEM Partners and was written into the work programme 2009.

In this regard, the Ministry of Culture, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the State Administration of Radio, Film and Television, the General Administration of Press and Publications (GAPP) of the People’s Republic of China and the People’s Government of Beijing Municipality China co-hosted the 1st ASEM Culture and Arts Festival from 2-8 September 2009 in Beijing, China. It is believed that a successful Culture and Arts Festival will create a favorable environment for the economic and social development of the ASEM Partners by fostering better understanding and cooperation among its peoples, and serve for the consolidation of a new overall Euro-Asia partnership.

China warmly welcomed artists, art troupes, scholars and government officers from ASEM Partners to participate in the Festival.