China and ASEAN have broad space and huge potential for growth

By Zhong Xinmin

OPPORTUNITIES THROUGH PEACE AND DEVELOPMENT

China and ASEAN have broad space and huge potential for growth

By Zhong Xinmin

Chinese President Xi Jinping speaks at the People's Representative Council of Indonesia on Oct. 3, 2013.

On Oct. 3, 2013, Chinese President Xi Jinping delivered an important speech at the People’s Representative Council of Indonesia, proposing the construction of a close China-ASEAN community of shared future. He emphasized that China and ASEAN should build trust and good-neighborly ties,work for mutually beneficial cooperation, stand together and assist each other, enhance mutual understanding and friendship and be open and inclusive to make sure that China and ASEAN are good neighbors, good friends and good partners who share prosperity and security and stick together through thick and thin.President Xi’s proposal was well received by the audience.His speech sent an important message to Asia and the whole world that an increasingly cohesive China-ASEAN community of shared future conforms to modern trends of seeking peace, development,cooperation and mutual benefit and meets the common interests of the people of Asia and the rest of the world. This gives it a broad space and huge potential for growth.

Since the dialogue relations were established between China and ASEAN in 1991, we have adhered to the theme of cooperation and development, with mutual political trust continually strengthening and pragmatic cooperation yielding fruitful results.

Paradigm of Asian Communities

“China and ASEAN are close neighbors enjoying geographical proximity,” said Chinese Ambassador to ASEAN Xu Bu at a seminar themed “ASEAN 50: A New Chapter for ASEAN-China Relations” in Jakarta on July 14,2017. “Facing global challenges and regional problems, China and ASEAN should build a closer community on the basis of what has been achieved so far, and with the focus on the future, in order for it to become a paradigm of communities of shared future in Asia.” The ambassador emphasized that China-ASEAN relations have become the most dynamic and most profound among ASEAN’s relations with its dialogue partners, with pragmatic cooperation in every field yielding fruitful results.

Hailing Ambassador Xu’s remarks, Deputy Secretary-General of ASEAN for Community and Corporate Affairs AKP Mochtan said that intensifying contact between the two sides was a bright idea as it would create good foundation towards synergizing the goals of the Belt and Road Initiative and ASEAN Vision 2025. Director-General of ASEAN and Indonesia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs Jose Tavares commented that ASEAN and China have been dedicated to a partnership of equality and mutual benefit. Next year will be the 15th anniversary of the China-ASEAN strategic partnership. The two sides will seize opportunities to promote the sustainable development of their relations.

“Since the dialogue relations were established between China and ASEAN in 1991, we have adhered to the theme of cooperation and development,with mutual political trust continually strengthening and pragmatic cooperation yielding fruitful results,” said President Xi Jinping on Aug. 8 in a congratulatory message on the 50th anniversary of the founding of ASEAN to Rodrigo Duterte, president of the Philippines,the rotating chair of ASEAN. “China-ASEAN relations have become the most dynamic and most profound among ASEAN’s relations with its dialogue partners.China is willing to continue sticking to the principles of amity, sincerity,mutual benefit and inclusiveness,and take the 15th anniversary in 2018 of the establishment of the China-ASEAN strategic partnership as an opportunity to build a closer community of shared future together with ASEAN on the basis of what has been achieved so far, and with focus on the future, in order for it to become a paradigm of communities of shared future in Asia.”

Symphony of Inclusive Cooperation

“Trust is the very foundation of both interpersonal and stateto-state relations,” said President Xi Jinping. “China is committed to forging a relationship with ASEAN countries featuring sincerity, friendship and enhanced mutual political and strategic trust. China is ready to discuss with ASEAN countries the conclusion of a treaty of good-neighborliness, friendship and cooperation.” It’s fair to say that after more than 20 years of exchanges, the China-ASEAN relationship has completed the transition from suspicion and confrontation to dialogue and cooperation, laying a good foundation for political trust. The conclusion of a treaty of goodneighborliness, friendship and cooperation means that the major issues of principles relating to China-ASEAN relations will be fixed in the form of law, which will have a profound impact on the further development of bilateral relations.

Since China’s 2013 proposition of joint efforts with ASEAN for the 21st Century Maritime Silk Road and a closer community of shared future, bilateral political ties have been continuously strengthened. There have been frequent exchanges between high-level officials.The dialogue mechanisms of all levels and sectors are becoming increasingly mature.As a dialogue partner of ASEAN,China was the first to accede to the Treaty of Amity and Cooperation in Southeast Asia,the first to establish a strategic partnership with ASEAN, the first to support ASEAN’s efforts to establish a Southeast Asia Nuclear-Weapons-Free Zone and the first to launch and complete the establishment of a free trade area with ASEAN. All these stand as testament to China’s firm commitment in promoting China-ASEAN relations, which has also invigorated ASEAN’s other partnerships and played an exemplary role in advancing East Asia cooperation.

The China-ASEAN community of shared future is a symphony, its theme being peace, development and win-win cooperation. It is closely linked with the ASEAN community and the East Asian community. The two sides need to give full rein to our respective strengths to enhance diversity,harmony, inclusiveness and common progress in our region for the benefit of both our people and the people outside the region.

China rejects zero-sum games and advocates win-win cooperation in regional affairs. In his visit to Southeast Asia in October 2013,Chinese Premier Li Keqiang suggested a “2+7 cooperation framework” with ASEAN countries,meaning two-point political consensus on promoting political and security cooperation and economic development, and seven priority areas including the political field, business, connectivity,finance, maritime cooperation,security and people-to-people exchanges, as well as scientific and environmental fields. The leaders issued the Joint Statement in Commemoration of the 10th Anniversary of the Establishment of the ASEAN-China Strategic Partnership. This policy declaration echoed President Xi’s idea of the China-ASEAN community, drawing a clear roadmap for the future development of China-ASEAN relations.

At the seminar mentioned earlier, Ambassador Xu Bu also said that by building a China-ASEAN community of shared future,the two sides work for common security and shared prosperity through win-win cooperation.It embodies China’s pursuit for peace and development, answers the needs of the time and serves the fundamental interests of ASEAN as well.

Upgraded Strategic Partnership

Apart from close political ties,China and ASEAN have carried out all-round cooperation in areas such as economy, education,culture, environmental protection, healthcare and public security, which has provided the people of the 11 countries with more convenient and more efficient services.

On Oct. 26, China’s Ministry of National Defense spokesman Ren Guoqiang said at a press briefing that China and ASEAN intend to reach preliminary consensus on technical consultations within the year for joint military drills pending the result of consultations. The Chinese military will continue to further friendly exchanges and pragmatic cooperation with all its counterparts around the world, including those in the Asia-Pacific region. It is ready to enhance mutual understanding and confidence, participate in regional multilateral security dialogues and cooperation mechanisms and safeguard the peace and stability of the region and the world for common prosperity.

In the same speech at the previously-mentioned seminar,Ambassador Xu Bu indicated that China is ready to promote and support the growth of sub-regional frameworks such as the Lancang-Mekong Cooperation and the East ASEAN Growth Area (BIMPEAGA) to assist in narrowing development gaps within ASEAN and move ASEAN community building forward.

Deputy Secretary-General of ASEAN AKP Mochtan spoke on the future of ASEAN-China relations. He pointed out that on the basis of what has been achieved, the two sides should strengthen dialogue and exchanges for more extensive interconnectivity and common prosperity in the region.

Director of Human Development Directorate of the ASEAN Secretariat Rodora Babaran said that ASEAN and China will continue cooperation for sustainable economic and social development, as well as poverty reduction, leaving no one behind. She also suggested that ASEAN countries should make joint efforts to push forward innovative activities such as the “ASEAN Plus Three Village Leaders Exchange Program” to reduce poverty with community development and achieve the 17 sustainable development goals of the Agenda 2030 for Sustainable Development.

Cambodian Rural Development Minister Ouk Rabun expressed his sincere appreciation for China’s assistance to Cambodia in the development of infrastructure,such as roads and water supply,and human resources, which has improved the lives of the Cambodian people. The China-Cambodia Friendship Bridge and poverty reduction demonstration village are outstanding contributions to Cambodia’s poverty reduction, heralding a new chapter of Sino-Cambodian friendship.

Indeed, China and ASEAN are combining respective strengths and potential in view of growth demands. It is imperative to focus on exploring synergy between the Belt and Road Initiative and ASEAN Vision 2025, improving connectivity, deepening production capacity cooperation,promoting trade and investment and reaping the benefits of the upgraded protocol of the China-ASEAN Free Trade Area.

A blueprint for greater China-ASEAN cooperation has been drawn, which represents the trend of the times and the will of the people. As long as they both focus on peace and development,China and ASEAN will be able to seize opportunities to realize the China-ASEAN community of shared future as soon as possible.