China committed to ties with Asean: Brunei envoy

BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN (Borneo Bulletin/Asia News Network): China has reassured its commitment to work together with Asean to build a safe, peaceful as well as prosperous ‘Home’ following the success of the Asean-China Special Summit to commemorate the 30th anniversary of Asean-China Dialogue Relations on Monday, co-chaired by Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah and President of China Xi Jinping.

Ambassador of China to Brunei Darussalam Yu Hong (pic) during an online media briefing on Tuesday (Nov 23) said the China-Asean Special Summit concluded with several highlights, including the establishment of a China-Asean Comprehensive Strategic Partnership.

“The attendance of President Xi Jinping for the first time in history demonstrates the great importance China attaches to developing the relations with Asean.

"On the special summit, President Xi Jinping and leaders from Asean member states reviewed and summarised the achievements and experience of the relations over the past 30 years from strategic and comprehensive perspectives, and charted out the course for China-Asean relations in the years to come.

“The joint statement of the special summit, issued as the outcome document, laid a solid foundation for the two sides to build a closer community with a shared future and injected greater impetus to the development of China-Asean relations, bringing more benefits to the development of regional countries and the well-being of the peoples.

“The gains in China-Asean cooperation over the past 30 years are attributable to our unique geographical proximity and cultural affinity and, more importantly, to the fact that we have actively embraced the development trend of our times and made the right historic choice. We have respected each other and acted by the basic norms of international relations.

"We have cooperated for win-win results and followed a path of peaceful development. We have looked out for each other and honoured the principle of amity, sincerity, mutual benefit and inclusiveness. We have upheld inclusiveness and mutual learning and jointly contributed to open regionalism.

"The valuable experience we have gained over the past 30 years is the shared asset of China and Asean. It lays the foundation for developing our Comprehensive Strategic Partnership. The establishment of a China-Asean Comprehensive Strategic Partnership is a new milestone in the history of our relations and will inject new impetus into peace, stability, prosperity and development of our region and the world.

"We need to serve as the builders and guardians of peace in the region. We need to pursue dialogue instead of confrontation, build partnerships instead of alliances, and practice true multilateralism.

"China firmly opposes hegemonism and power politics, supports Asean’s efforts to build a nuclear weapon-free zone, and is prepared to sign the Protocol to the Treaty on the Southeast Asia Nuclear Weapon-Free Zone as early as possible.

“Asean acknowledges leaders’ statements and visions of China and Asean member states at the 76th United Nations General Assembly in support of the implementation of the UN 2030 Agenda on Sustainable Development, including China’s proposed Global Development Initiative. Both sides stand ready to make economic globalisation more open, inclusive, balanced, and beneficial to all, and will accelerate implementation of the UN’s 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

"Last year, China and Asean became each other’s largest trading partner for the first time.

“President Xi Jinping announced that both sides need to begin work toward a new round of upgrade of the China-Asean Free Trade Area at an early date, and fully harness the role of the RCEP.

“China is ready to import more quality products from Asean countries, including buying up to USD150 billion worth of agricultural products from Asean in the next five years, and enhance the level of trade and investment liberalisation and facilitation.

“Both sides have achieved fruitful results in the high-quality Belt and Road cooperation, and Asean has already become an important hub for the construction of the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI).

“Key projects such as China-Laos Railway and the Jakarta-Bandung High-speed Railway have achieved milestone accomplishments, and Hengyi Industries, a China-Brunei joint venture, has been put into operation.”

China, she said, “seeks high-quality Belt and Road cooperation with Asean, and cooperation between the Belt and Road Initiative and the AOIP. China will also work with Asean to build New International Land-Sea Trade Corridor.

China will launch the China-Asean Science, Technology and Innovation Enhancing Programme, and will provide 1,000 items of advanced and applicable technology to Asean and support a programme for 300 young scientists from Asean to come to China for exchanges in the next five years.

“China is ready to provide Asean with another USD1.5 billion of development assistance in the next three years, launch negotiations on an agreement in international development cooperation with Asean, support establishment of a China-Asean Knowledge Network for Development, and strengthen exchange and cooperation with Asean on poverty reduction.

China looks forward to the deepening of Lancang-Mekong Cooperation and China-BIMP-EAGA Cooperation with Asean to promote the Asean integration process.

“Both sides will increase policy communication and experience sharing, and synergise our plans for sustainable development. We may jointly promote a regional energy transition, discuss establishment of a China-Asean clean energy cooperation centre, and enhance technology sharing in renewable energies.

"We may intensify cooperation on green finance and investment to support regional low-carbon and sustainable development.

"China is ready to launch the Action Plan on China-Asean Green Agriculture to make our countries’ agricultural sector more resilient and sustainable. We may also energise the China-Asean Countries Joint Research and Development Centre of Marine Science and Technology, build the Partnership on Blue Economy, and promote marine sustainable development.

“Over the past 30 years, China and Asean have shown great solidarity in times of crises and overcame major challenges such as two financial crises, SARS and the Indian Ocean tsunami with joint efforts. In the fight against the Covid-19, we rendered much-needed help and support to each other at the earliest stage.

"China has delivered more than 360 million doses of Covid-19 vaccine, the largest number among all Asean Dialogue Partners, and a large amount of anti-epidemic materials, making a positive contribution to regional countries in containing the pandemic.

“China supports the Asean Comprehensive Recovery Framework and is ready to work with Asean member countries to jointly build a health shield for the region. Under the initiative, China is ready to donate an additional 150 million doses of Covid vaccines to Asen member countries to support higher vaccination rates in countries in the region.

“China will contribute an additional USD5 million to the Covid-19 Asean Response Fund, step up vaccine joint production and technology transfer, collaborate on research and development of essential medicines, and support Asean in strengthening primary-level public health systems and cultivating human capital.”

China and Asean, she added, “will continue to be close neighbours of amity, to build an amicable home together. China will enhance cooperation with Asean in vocational education and mutual recognition of diplomas, increase the number of recipients of China-Asean Young Leaders Scholarship, and organise events like youth camps”.