Change, unchanged in China-ASEAN ties Yang Xiuping  ;   Ambassador of China to ASEAN

JAKARTA POST,  15 Desember 2014

                                                                                                                       

Now the global political and economic landscape is undergoing a new round of major adjustments and transformation, in which Asia-Pacific is the home ground and plays a leading role. To further advance China-ASEAN cooperation in this context, we need to be both firm in adhering to the fundamental principles that hold us together, and also bold enough in pursuing innovation and prosperity with vision and action. The goal of peaceful development remains unchanged. China and ASEAN both suffered from the colonial regimes and the Cold War and benefitted from peace and development. Regional safety and economic development has been the persistent quest of ASEAN since its establishment. Peaceful development is even more of a national strategy and persistent practice for China. In the recently held Central Conference on Work Relating to Foreign Affairs of China, President Xi Jinping pointed out that Chinese diplomacy would continue to serve the pursuit of peaceful development and national rejuvenation. The common historical experience and practical interests promise China and ASEAN a high degree of consensus in this regard. The idea of cooperation and development remains unchanged. China is working toward a new type of international relation with win-win cooperation as its core, a neighborhood community of common destiny based on the principle of amity, sincerity, sharing in prosperity and inclusiveness. Chinese philosophy highly accords with the ASEAN way. Sixty years ago, China and the ASEAN countries jointly put forward the Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence and the spirit of the Bandung Conference. Today, we work together in promoting the Asian security concept and the principles of the Treaty of Amity and Cooperation in Southeast Asia. The strategic priorities remain unchanged. China and ASEAN are linked by rivers and mountains and respectively serve as the largest and third largest trading partners to each other. A genuine community of common destiny has been forged with the close interconnection between China and ASEAN in terms of security, economy and people’s interaction. China attaches priority to ASEAN in China’s neighborhood diplomacy, firmly supports ASEAN community building and the centrality of ASEAN in East Asian cooperation. Our strategic partnership will demonstrate increasing strategic significance and priority in pace with building a China-ASEAN community of common destiny and a 21st century maritime Silk Road and implementing the “2+7 cooperation framework”. In light of the changing trend and to pursue better development, we should dedicate our efforts in the following aspects. First, we should continue enhancing mutual trust. Mutual trust is an eternal subject in China-ASEAN relations that calls for infinite endeavors. The level of cooperation depends on the depth of mutual trust. The key to enhancing mutual trust between China and ASEAN is to ensure adequate awareness and confidence in each other’s development path and strategy direction. The initiatives by China to build the 21st century maritime Silk Road and establish the Asia Infrastructure Investment Bank, among others, are designed under the mindset of mutual benefit and win-win, and target ASEAN as a major stakeholder and beneficiary. China supports and advocates the “dual-track approach” to deal with the South China Sea issue, i.e. relevant disputes being addressed by countries directly concerned through consultations and negotiations in a peaceful way, and peace and stability in the South China Sea being jointly maintained by China and ASEAN countries. China and ASEAN countries remain committed to fully and effectively implement the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea and have agreed to work toward the early conclusion of a code of conduct in the South China Sea on the basis of consensus. We have achieved “early harvest” in the COC consultation. It includes the first document on commonalities, joint maritime search and a rescue hotline and senior officials’ hotline for maritime emergencies. China also proposes next year be designated as the “Year of China-ASEAN Maritime Cooperation” with the view to benefit the coastal people of the South China Sea through functional cooperation. Second, we should keep the orientation of our strategic cooperation. The China-ASEAN strategic partnership has made great achievements in its first 10 years because we found the right direction, seized the initiative and made breakthroughs in certain strategic cooperation areas. In the second 10 years, we still need to hold on to the trend and main threads. The first is economic transition and industrial upgrade. We should seize the opportunity for adjustment in the post-financial crisis era to develop a new economy and innovative industry and expand our common market and regional industry chain. The second is cooperation on connectivity. The establishment of AIIB, the US$40 billion Silk Road Fund, the $10 billion China-ASEAN special loan for infrastructure and other initiatives by China will elevate connectivity development, especially major infrastructure project construction, to a new climax. The third is trade and investment. We should optimize trade and investment structure and promote its quality and volume through upgrading the China-ASEAN FTA. The fourth is multilateral cooperation on security. China proposed holding the unofficial China-ASEAN Defense Ministers’ Meeting in China next year, and will continue to deepen disaster management cooperation with ASEAN. Third, we need to better tailor our cooperation for mutual development needs. China is working in synergy with the development of ASEAN. Next year, the ASEAN Economic Community will become reality and negotiations on upgrading the China-ASEAN FTA will have a good chance to conclude. ASEAN will lay down the post-2015 vision for ASEAN community. China will also start working with ASEAN to formulate a new plan of action for cooperation. On top of our commitment last year, China will provide ASEAN with $10 billion concessional loans to boost functional cooperation with ASEAN in various areas, RMB 3 billion ($485 million) of free assistance to support less-developed ASEAN countries narrow the development gap, RMB 50 million free assistance to support ASEAN community building, and will set aside RMB 30 million in support of economic and technical cooperation under the China-ASEAN FTA framework in the coming three years. After the realization of the ASEAN Economic Community, China and ASEAN will become the second and seventh largest economies of the world, as well as the top two developing economies. Our side-by-side development and cooperation will be of far-reaching significance, regionally and even globally. Last but not least, we should maintain the order for regional cooperation. ASEAN is conferred legal personality by the ASEAN Charter, and is working toward a rules-based community. China domestically upholds the rule of law, is also both a faithful follower and active contributor to international law and regional rules and norms. China and ASEAN share common interests in advancing the democratization of international relations and the establishment of a more just and rational new international order. China is ready to discuss with ASEAN countries the signing of a treaty on good-neighborliness, friendship and cooperation to consolidate the legal and institutional framework for the long-term development of our relations. Given the profound changes in regional cooperation, China and ASEAN should bear in mind the common interests of East Asia and work together to ensure its healthy and stable development. ●