China, ASEAN blaze path of long-term friendship, development -- Chinese premier

Chinese Premier Li Qiang poses for a group photo with participants attending the 26th China-ASEAN Summit in Jakarta, Indonesia, Sept. 6, 2023. Li attended the 26th China-ASEAN Summit here on Wednesday. [Photo/Xinhua]

JAKARTA -- Chinese Premier Li Qiang said here Wednesday that in the past 10 years, China and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) have succeeded in blazing a correct path of long-term good-neighborliness and friendship, as well as common development and prosperity as the world is undergoing profound changes unseen in a century.

Li made the remarks while addressing the 26th China-ASEAN Summit.

In 2013, Chinese President Xi Jinping proposed in Indonesia fostering a closer China-ASEAN community with a shared future, Li noted, adding that over the past decade, China and ASEAN have been treating each other sincerely, looking out for one another, carrying out mutually beneficial cooperation, coordinating with and accommodating each other, and walking hand in hand to make one another better.

Li made a four-point proposal for fostering a closer China-ASEAN community with a shared future, the first of which is that China and ASEAN should work together to build an economic growth center, enhance interconnectivity, and deepen cooperation in industrial and supply chains.

Both sides should also jointly promote cooperation in emerging industries, and strengthen collaboration in such fields as new energy vehicles, photovoltaics and artificial intelligence, Li said.

He said that China and ASEAN need to work together to maintain regional peace and tranquility, actively advance consultations on the text of the Code of Conduct in the South China Sea, and carry out cooperation in combating telecommunication and cyber fraud.

Li added that the two sides should also join hands to expand people-to-people exchanges and further facilitate cooperation in culture, tourism, training and youth.

Noting that China and ASEAN are good neighbors, brothers and partners that cannot be separated, Li said China is ready to work with ASEAN countries to stay true to the original aspiration of unity and self-improvement, uphold the spirit of win-win cooperation, so as to build a common home of peace, tranquility, prosperity, beauty and friendship.

The 26th China-ASEAN Summit was attended by Indonesian President Joko Widodo, whose country is holding the rotating ASEAN chair this year, Lao Prime Minister Sonexay Siphandone, Brunei's Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah, Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet, Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, Philippine President Ferdinand Romualdez Marcos, Singaporean Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong, Vietnamese Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh, Permanent Secretary for Foreign Affairs of Thailand Sarun Charoensuwan, Timor-Leste's Prime Minister Xanana Gusmao, as well as ASEAN Secretary-General Kao Kim Hourn.

ASEAN leaders attending the summit warmly welcomed Li's attendance and spoke highly of the outcomes of ASEAN-China cooperation.

They said that ASEAN's comprehensive strategic partnership with China has brought huge benefits to people in the region and promoted regional peace, development and stability.

They said that ASEAN countries are willing to work with China to further enhance mutual trust, strengthen the synergy to the Belt and Road Initiative, and deepen cooperation in areas including agriculture, trade, investment, digital economy, technology, education and culture to jointly address global challenges such as climate change.

ASEAN countries welcome making progress in formulating the Code of Conduct in the South China Sea, look forward to an early conclusion of negotiations on upgrading the ASEAN-China Free Trade Area, and jointly make the 20th China-ASEAN Expo a success, they said.

ASEAN countries are willing to take the opportunity to work with China and build the China-ASEAN community with a shared future, they said.

During the summit, a joint statement was issued on mutually beneficial cooperation between the Belt and Road Initiative and the ASEAN Outlook on the Indo-Pacific, and a series of outcome documents were adopted, including a joint statement on deepening agricultural cooperation between China and ASEAN, an action plan on China-ASEAN green agricultural development (2023-2027), an initiative on enhancing bilateral e-commerce cooperation, and an initiative on jointly implementing China-ASEAN science and technology innovation enhancement program.

The summit also welcomed the signing of an agreement on China-ASEAN technical cooperation and announced the year of 2024 as the China-ASEAN year of people-to-people exchanges.

Chinese Premier Li Qiang attends the 26th China-ASEAN Summit in Jakarta, Indonesia, Sept. 6, 2023. [Photo/Xinhua]