On 7 and 8 September 2015, the 3rd ASEAN-China Dialogue, co-hosted by China Institute of International Studies (CIIS), ASEAN Institutes of Strategic and International Studies (ASEAN ISIS), and Office of Foreign and Overseas Chinese Affairs of Chengdu Municipal People's Government, and supported by ASEAN-China Centre (ACC), was held in Chengdu, Sichuan Province. Mr. Su Ge, President of CIIS, Mr. Ma Zhengang, Committee Member, Foreign Policy Advisory Group, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of China, and Chair of National Committee of the Council for Security and Cooperation in the Asia Pacific, Mr. Yong Chanthalangsy, Director-General of Institute of Foreign Affairs of Laos Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Chair of ASEAN ISIS, H.E. Mme. Yang Xiuping, Secretary-General of ACC, Mr. Zhu Zhihong, First Vice Mayor of Chengdu, Mr. Wu Shicun, President of National Institute for South China Sea Studies of China, and about 60 scholars from 10 ASEAN Member States and China, as well as ASEAN and Chinese diplomatic representatives, attended the Dialogue.
Ambassador Ma Zhengang, First Vice Mayor Zhu Zhihong and Ambassador Yong Chanthalangsy delivered the opening remarks respectively.
Ambassador Ma Zhengang expressed that ASEAN-China Strategic Partnership had witnessed substantial progress and become a flagship of East Asia cooperation. Thinks tanks shouldered heavy responsibilities in strengthening mutual understanding and advance cooperation in all fields between ASEAN and China. It was believed that the Dialogue would make remarkable contribution to the further development of ASEAN-China relations.
First Vice Mayor Zhu Zhihong extended a warm welcome to all the participants to visit Chengdu. He introduced Chengdu's role as the centre of science and technology, trade, finance as well as hub of transportation and IT communication in Western China. Chengdu had conducted fruitful exchanges and cooperation with foreign countries,particularly with Southeast Asian countries, including Chengdu forged friendship cities with 28 cities, opened 28 international flight routes, 282 among the top 500 enterprises set up branches in Chengdu, and 15 countries got approval to set up consulates-general in Chengdu. From January to July 2015, mutual visitations from Chengdu to ASEAN and vice versa reached 260,000 and 140,000 respectively. Chengdu-ASEAN trade volume stood at over 4 billion USD, registering 17 percent of total foreign trade of Chengdu. As the emerging point of the "One Belt One Road" and Changjiang Economic Belt, Chengdu was looking forward to more substantial cooperation with ASEAN.
Ambassador Yong Chanthalangsy expressed that ASEAN would realize its Community by the end of 2015, and Laos would assume the rotating Chair of ASEAN in 2016. ASEAN ISIS, as one of the most important think tanks, would continue to play positive role in policy making and promoting regional dialogue and cooperation. ASEAN and China were building a Community of Common Destiny. He expected the Dialogue would provide valuable inputs on major issues pertaining to the future development of ASEAN-China relations, and promote the better development of ASEAN-China Strategic Partnership.
Secretary-General Yang Xiuping delivered a Keynote Speech on ASEAN-China relations. While reviewing the extraordinary path of ASEAN-China relations over the past 24 years, she expressed that from the Gold Decade to the Diamond Decade, ASEAN and China had deepened mutual understanding and expanded win-win cooperation. The two sides established the largest FTA among the developing countries and had staged spectacular events of the ASEAN-China Cultural Exchange Year in 2014. Cooperation in connectivity, finance, social-cultural, marine and other fields had achieved substantial progress. Both sides had vigorously expanded cooperation in East Asia, and joined hands to overcome various challenges. ASEAN-China relations had gone beyond the bilateral scope, which had not only brought about tremendous benefits to the peoples of both sides, but also contributed significantly to peace, stability and prosperity of the region and the world.
Secretary-General Yang remarked that the international situation was undergoing complex and profound changes, and the world economy still faced uncertainties in its recovery process. However, Asia maintained overall growth momentum, and was one of the most robust regions in the world. She highlighted that the most important common interest, common demands and common aspiration for ASEAN and China were to accelerate the development, maintain stability and deepen cooperation. The leaders of both sides had reached important consensus on further deepening ASEAN-China relations. Building a Community of Common Destiny, the 21st Century Maritime Silk Road and “2+7” Cooperation Framework were initiatives which had charted the future course for growing ASEAN-China relations. The realization of the ASEAN Community also opened up broader prospects for ASEAN-China relations.
Secretary-General Yang stated the year 2016 would mark the 25thanniversary of ASEAN-China dialogue relations. Both sides should take this opportunity to sum up experience, and plan for the future for bilateral relations. She put forward the following suggestions; firstly, further promoting good-neighborliness and mutual trust; secondly, deepening all-round economic cooperation, trying to reach agreement of the upgraded CAFTA by the end of 2015, and carrying out international production capacity cooperation could be one of the priorities; thirdly, enhancing connectivity, and integrating the building of the 21st Century Maritime Silk Road with the development strategies of ASEAN; fourthly, promoting people-to-people exchanges in the areas such as education, culture, tourism, media, youth and think tanks; fifthly, supporting the ASEAN Community building by leveraging the Lancang-Mekong Dialogue Cooperation Mechanism. She expected the ASEAN-China Dialogue would serve as an important platform for the communication and cooperation of think tanks, and provide intellectual support for the further elevation of ASEAN-China relations.
In the evening of 6 September 2015, Secretary-General Yang together with all the delegates, attended a short meeting and dinner, hosted by the First Vice Mayor Zhu Zhihong.
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