China and the ASEAN member states have everything to gain from continuously injecting fresh momentum into their cooperation as their relationship holds boundless potential.
Thanks to the determined efforts of both sides, relations between China and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations have witnessed tremendous progress in recent years. Two-way trade has surged, connectivity has been enhanced, and economic, people-to-people and other exchanges have flourished. The burgeoning cooperation has brought tangible benefits to the people on both sides and helped promote broader regional development and integration.
China has remained ASEAN’s largest trading partner for 15 consecutive years, while ASEAN has been China’s top trading partner for four consecutive years. Statistics indicate that in the first seven months of this year two-way trade reached $552 billion, up 7.7 percent year-on-year, accounting for about one-sixth of China’s overall trade volume in the same period.
Such flourishing trade relations would not have been fostered if both sides had not shared a commitment to the vision of creating an integrated regional market, building connectivity, optimizing the allocation of resources and leveraging each other’s strengths for mutual benefit.
The thriving China-ASEAN ties have also benefited hugely from their active participation and collaboration in the China-ASEAN Free Trade Agreement and the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership, which have enhanced trade and investment liberalization and facilitation between the two sides.
The strong development of China-ASEAN ties is one of the reasons why the Asia-Pacific region has been able to maintain overall peace, stability and prosperity in recent years, despite the various turbulences unsettling the international landscape.
As a trustworthy friend and reliable partner, China has always supported the centrality of ASEAN in the region and the bloc’s vision of building an ASEAN community.
Premier Li Qiang’s visit to Southeast Asia this week underscores China’s commitment to deepening ties with ASEAN, strengthening cooperation with regional countries and injecting fresh impetus into the development and prosperity of the region.
During his visit, Li will attend the 27th China-ASEAN Summit, the 27th ASEAN Plus Three Summit and the 19th East Asia Summit to be held in Vientiane, Laos, and pay an official visit to Laos and Vietnam. These provide fresh opportunities for China and its regional partners to forge consensuses on other issues, deepen mutual trust and open new horizons for their reciprocal cooperation.
Amid the sluggish global economic recovery, China’s economy has continued to display its resilience. Its share of the world economy has increased from 12.3 percent to more than 18 percent over the past decade. China’s further high-quality development will therefore create new opportunities for ASEAN countries.
In an increasingly turbulent world, Southeast Asia, due to its special position in world economic and strategic terrain, has inevitably been influenced by some undesirable factors and from time to time even been pushed to the forefront of big power competition.
Hence, it is heartening to see many ASEAN member states demonstrating their strong resolve to stay true to an open and inclusive regional cooperation architecture, uphold the regional order, practice real multilateralism, and reject bloc confrontation.
It is to be hoped that the two sides take the opportunities of the meetings to further leverage their complementary advantages, accelerate coordinated development, and jointly foster exchanges in all areas to inject renewed impetus into their cooperative relations. In doing so, both sides will not only reap direct development benefits but also those brought about by the guarantee of regional peace and stability.
[Abridged]
Editorial, China Daily
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