JAKARTA, 2 July 2020 – Senior Officials from ASEAN and the People’s Republic of China reaffirmed the importance of their strategic partnership and agreed to further enhance their relations at the 26th ASEAN-China Senior Officials’ Consultation held online yesterday.
Both ASEAN and China noted the progress of the ASEAN-China Plan of Action 2016-2020’s implementation, particularly in areas such as political-security cooperation, trade, transport, tourism, ICT, smart cities,
Next month, the Foreign Ministers of ASEAN and China will adopt a new Plan of Action to further enhance cooperation for the next five-years (2021-2025), which is currently being finalised.
At the meeting, Senior Officials further discussed the follow-up on decisions and initiatives made by Leaders at the 22nd ASEAN-China Summit last year and efforts to strengthen trade and investment relations, including through the implementation of the Protocol to upgrade the ASEAN-China Free Trade Area as well as enhancing regional connectivity.
Both sides emphasised the collaborative efforts in addressing the COVID-19 pandemic, through the convening of the Special ASEAN-China Foreign Ministers Meeting on COVID-19 and the Special ASEAN Plus Three Summit on COVID-19, held respectively in February and April. ASEAN and China also agreed to further enhance cooperation through existing mechanisms to mitigate the impact of the pandemic and prepare for future emergency health issues.
The Meeting also stressed the need for ASEAN and China to work together for the regional post-pandemic recovery. ASEAN and China must work towards the signing of the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership agreement this year to boost regional economic growth.
The Senior Officials welcomed last month’s launch of the ASEAN-China Digital Economy Cooperation Year 2020 and discussed activities under the ASEAN-China Digital Economy Year which would help enhance cooperation in areas such as e-commerce.
The Senior Officials also exchanged views on matters related to regional security issues. Both sides welcomed the progress of negotiations on a Code of Conduct (COC) in the South China Sea through the completion of the first reading of the Single Draft Negotiating Text of the COC and the commencement of the second reading, and stressed the need to continue the momentum, and the importance of maintaining peace and security in the region.
Next year would mark the 30th Anniversary of ASEAN-China Dialogue Relations and officials from both sides will continue to discuss preparations for this milestone in the relationship.
The meeting was co-chaired by Acting Senior Official of the Philippines Junever M. Mahilum-West and China’s Assistant Foreign Minister Chen Xiaodong and attended by Senior Officials from ASEAN Member States and the Deputy Secretary-General for ASEAN Political-Security Community.
- ABOUT ASEAN
The Association of Southeast Asian Nations, or ASEAN, was established on 8 August 1967 in Bangkok, Thailand, with the signing of the ASEAN Declaration (Bangkok Declaration) by the Founding Fathers of ASEAN: Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore and Thailand. Brunei Darussalam joined ASEAN on 7 January 1984, followed by Viet Nam on 28 July 1995, Lao PDR and Myanmar on 23 July 1997, and Cambodia on 30 April 1999, making up what is today the ten Member States of ASEAN.Menu - WHAT WE DO
ASEAN organs always strive to achieve ASEAN’s goals and objectives, the Secretary-General of ASEAN and the ASEAN Secretariat shall be functioned as coordinating Secretariat to help facilitate effective decision-making withing and amongst ASEAN bodies. In addition, each Member State shall appoint a Permanent Representative to liaise with Secretary-General of ASEAN and the ASEAN Secretariat
Menu - WHO WE WORK WITH
ASEAN shall develop friendly relations and mutually beneficial dialogues, cooperation and partnerships with countries and sub-regional, regional and international organisations and institutions. This includes external partners, ASEAN entities, human rights bodies, non-ASEAN Member States Ambassadors to ASEAN, ASEAN committees in third countries and international organisations, as well as international / regional organisations.
Menu - OUR COMMUNITIES
The rodmap for an ASEAN Community (2009-2015) was declared by the leaders in 2009. The ASEAN Community, anchored on three community pillars: Political-Security Community, Economic Community, Socio-Cultural Community was launched in 2015. The ASEAN 2025: Forging Ahead Together was introduced in 2015 as a Post-2015 Vision. It comprises the ASEAN Community Vision 2025, the ASEAN Political-Security Community Blueprint 2025, the ASEAN Economic Community Blueprint 2025 and the ASEAN Socio-Cultural Community Blueprint 2025
Menu
