On the occasion of the fifth anniversary of the ASEAN-China Centre, on behalf of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of China, I wish to extend my congratulations on the achievements the Centre has made and my appreciation for the hard work of the former and current secretaries-general and all co1leagues of the Centre.
In November 2011, leaders of China and ASEAN countries jointly unveiled the ASEAN-China Centre in Bali, Indonesia and announced its official establishment. Over the past five years, thanks to the support of the governments and all social sectors of the two sides as well as the unremitting efforts of the two secretaries-general and staff of the Centre, it has started from scratch, developed from strength to strength and become a special bond and important platform for promoting friendly exchanges and practical cooperation between China and ASEAN, making positive contribution to China-ASEAN relations.
This year marks the 25th anniversary of China-ASEAN dialogue relations and the China-ASEAN Educational Exchange Year. Over the past 25 years, the two sides have rendered respect, understanding, trust and support to each other. China-ASEAN cooperation has yielded fruitful results, bringing tangible benefits to the two peoples and setting a good example for countries, big or small, to treat each other as equals and seek common development. In 2013, President
Xi Jinping called for building a closer China-ASEAN community of shared future, and Premier Li Keqiang put forward the China-ASEAN “2+7 Cooperation Framework”, thus charting the course for the future development of the bilateral relationship. Last September, leaders of China and ASEAN countries held the commemorative summit for the 25th anniversary in Vientiane, Laos. The two sides have also held a series of other commemorative activities which demonstrated the passion and determination to advance China-ASEAN relations and injected strong impetus to the growth of bilateral relations.
China has been ASEAN’s largest trading partner for seven years in a row. The completion of negotiations over the upgrading of China-ASEAN FTA has presented new opportunities for bilateral trade and economic cooperation. The number of people engaged in people-to-people exchanges has exceeded 23 million and over 190,000 students have been exchanged between the two sides. China and ASEAN are working hand in hand under the “Belt and Road” Initiative. The Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank whose establishment was jointly participated in by China and ASEAN countries is now up and running. As an important supplement to China-ASEAN cooperation, the Lancang-Mekong Cooperation Mechanism was officially launched this year. After 25 years of careful nurturing, it is now the right time for China-ASEAN relations to grow further and sail toward an even brighter future.
Today’s world is undergoing profound changes, but the rise of Asia as a whole is a bright spot. Next year will mark the 50th anniversary of ASEAN, which is another important milestone in its history.
China and ASEAN face the common task of promoting economic growth and improving people’s well-being and shoulder the historic mission of upholding regional peace, stability and prosperity. This gives us every reason to strengthen cooperation. China has all along taken ASEAN as a priority in its neighborhood diplomacy and will continue to provide firm support to ASEAN Community building and ASEAN’s centrality in regional cooperation. The two sides should seize the rare historical opportunities, cement consensus for cooperation and synergize our respective development strategies so as to elevate the China-ASEAN strategic partnership to a new high.
As China and ASEAN continue to develop and China-ASEAN relations keep expanding and deepening, the ASEAN-China Centre will play an increasingly important role in facilitating bilateral friendship and cooperation. Five years is a critical juncture and a new starting point. I hope the Centre will continue its hard work and make full use of its own strengths to promote practical cooperation and people-to-people exchanges between the two sides, and help push China-ASEAN relationship to its maturity.
In conclusion, I wish the ASEAN-China Centre greater achievements and China-ASEAN relations stronger growth so that more contribution will be made to the sustained development and prosperity of the region!