KUALA LUMPUR: China is ready to work with Asean and the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) to leverage synergy for shared development and prosperity, says Chinese Premier Li Qiang.
He said that the cooperation between China, Asean, and the GCC accounts for about a quarter of the world's population and economic output.
"As Chinese President Xi Jinping said, 'To emerge from the fog and reach the summit', the greatest power is unity, and the most effective method is collective cooperation," he added.
Li then said that China is ready to work with Asean and the GCC to fully leverage the synergy of ‘1 + 1 + 1 > 3’, becoming a powerful driving force for our shared development and prosperity.
He said this in his opening remarks at the inaugural Asean-GCC-China Summit themed "Synergising Economic Opportunities Towards Shared Prosperity" on Tuesday (May 27).
Also present were Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim and Kuwait’s Crown Prince Sheikh Sabah Khaled Al-Hamad Al-Sabah, the president of the current session of the Supreme Council of the GCC.
By connecting the three markets, Li said the three blocs can unlock greater development potential and stronger economies of scale.
"China and Asean have completed negotiations on the upgraded version 3.0 of the Free Trade Area agreement. We look forward to all parties swiftly concluding negotiations on a China-GCC Free Trade Agreement,” he said.
Li added that this can help raise the level of trilateral trade.
"We must remain committed to expanding regional openness and strive to turn our three regions into a shared mega-market," he said.
He added that resources, technology, and talent should flow more efficiently, and trade and investment should become freer and more convenient.
Li then said China aims to create a model for cooperation across different stages of development.
"The three stakeholders are at different stages in their development journeys, but I believe these differences offer opportunities for complementarity and synergy," he said.
Li also said that China is willing, on the basis of mutual respect and equality, to align development strategies with Asean and the GCC.
"We should turn each party’s strengths into shared strengths while helping each other tackle new development challenges. Together, we can pioneer new models of international industrial and economic cooperation,” said Li.
"We can work toward a system where each contributes what they can and shares in the collective prosperity," he added.
He proposed creating a model of cross-civilisational integration where the three blocs are homes to diverse communities.
"We share the values of peace, cooperation, openness, and inclusiveness. We should promote deeper cultural exchanges to solidify the foundation of our shared renewal,” said Li.
"We can manage differences through mutual understanding and stimulate mutually beneficial cooperation through the exchange of ideas and wisdom. This will help us explore a new path of inclusive and progressive interaction among civilisations," he added.
