ACC Successfully Held the Symposium to Commemorate the 30th Anniversary of the Establishment of ASEAN-China Dialogue Relations

On 17 September 2021, the ASEAN-China Centre (ACC) held a symposium in Beijing with the theme "Promoting ASEAN-China Strategic Partnership for Sustainable Development in the New Normal", to commemorate the 30th anniversary of the establishment of the ASEAN-China Dialogue Relations. Ambassador Zhang Jiuhuan, Special Representative from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of China, Mr. Kung Phoak, ASEAN Deputy Secretary General, Mr. Djauhari Oratmangun, Ambassador of Indonesia to China, Mr. Pehin Dato Rahmani, Ambassador of Brunei to China, Mr. Hu Zhengyue, Vice President of China Public Diplomacy Association, Mr. Deng Xijun, Ambassador of China to ASEAN, officials from embassies of ten ASEAN Member States (AMS) in Beijing, experts and scholars, media and among others with around 100 total participants attended the symposium, which was moderated by Professor Zhai Kun from the School of International Relations of Peking University. The symposium reviewed the fruitful achievements of ASEAN-China cooperation in the past 30 years, discussed in-depth the future sustainable development of relations between the two sides, and actively offered suggestions.

Ambassador Zhang Jiuhuan, Special Representative from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of China, said that over the past 30 years, ASEAN and China have made development and remarkable achievements in their relations. The two sides took the leas in establishing a strategic partnership and establishing a free trade zone. The cooperation in various fields has deepened, and have always led the way in regional cooperation in East Asia. ASEAN-China relations are the most successful and dynamic model in the Asia-Pacific region, and have become an important pillar for regional peace and stability as well as development and prosperity. Since the outbreak of COVID-19, ASEAN and China have helped each other and stood together in times of difficuty, setting a model for regional resistance to fight against the epidemic and economic recovery. In the face of the new international situation, ASEAN and China should continue to deepen all-round friendly cooperation, strengthen political mutual trust, deepen anti-epidemic cooperation, vigorously promote economic recovery, further unleash the potential of bilateral relations and join hands to create a new era of ASEAN-China cooperation.

ASEAN Deputy Secretary-General Kung Phoak said in a video statement that over the past 30 years, ASEAN and China have developed and deepened their relations, continued to broaden the areas of cooperation, and increasingly consolidated the three pillars of cooperation: political security, economy, and social culture. The strategic partnership between the two sides has become one of the most enriching and dynamic partnerships in the region. China supports the centrality of ASEAN, the building of the ASEAN Community and the integration process, and the two sides have been strengthening political mutual trust and practical cooperation through dialogue and consultation, and are committed to maintain and promote regional peace, security and stability. The two sides have actively implemented the ASEAN-China Free Trade Agreement (FTA) and achieved leapfrog growth in bilateral trade and investment. People-to-people and cultural exchanges and cooperation are flourishing, which has deepened mutual understanding and friendship between the people of both sides. Under the impact of the epidemic, ASEAN and China have been working together to strengthen cooperation in the field of public health and ensure smooth and stable regional and global supply chains. ASEAN is willing to work with China to build a closer partnership and push the relationship to a new level.

Indonesian Ambassador to China Mr. Djauhari Oratmangun said that over the past 30 years since the establishment of dialogue relations between ASEAN and China, cooperation in various fields such as political security, economy and humanities has been fruitful and has effectively benefited the people of the region. Looking ahead, as technology continues to advance, ASEAN-China cooperation will be certainly further improved and upgraded by quality, and keep moving towards the long-term goal of common prosperity. Achieving sustainable development is crucial to the future development of ASEAN-China relations, and both sides should share best practices in poverty reduction, climate change adaptation, maintaining food security, and work together to achieve the UN Sustainable Development Goals. Under the current situation, China is expected to continue to support AMS in their fight against the epidemic, continue to provide vaccine support to AMS, and strengthen cooperation on public health security between the two sides. Indonesia is willing to work together with China to promote regional and global economic recovery and build an open and free global trading system.

Mr. Chen Dehai, Secretary-General of ACC, said that ASEAN and China are friends in solidarity, always uphold the sense of community, watch out for each other and overcome difficulties together. ASEAN and China are partners in common development, always putting people first and promoting planning integration and linkage development. ASEAN and China are harmonious neighbors, always following the "East Asian Way" of mutual respect and consensus, accommodating each other's concerns and core interests, and vigorously promoting Asian values. ASEAN and China are firm supporters of multilateralism and defenders of regional peace and stability, respecting the purposes and principles of the UN Charter, safeguarding the common interests of developing countries and the peoples of the world, and committing themselves to resolving differences through dialogue and consultation. The leaders of AMS and China have designated 2021 as the year of cooperation on sustainable development, and both are committed to strengthening communication and coordination to achieve sustainable development under the new normal. The two sides should strengthen cooperation in ecological protection, disaster prevention and mitigation, climate change and poverty reduction, jointly promote the early entry into force and implementation of the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) agreement, advance high-quality Belt and Road cooperation, and deepen partnerships in digital economy, technology innovation and blue economy. The two sides will also work together to implement the 2030 Strategic Partnership Vision and the Action Plan of the Joint Declaration on Strategic Partnership for Peace and Prosperity (2021-2025). This year marks the 10th anniversary of the establishment of ACC. ACC is willing to work hand in hand with all parties to make positive contributions to building a closer and higher level of ASEAN-China strategic partnership.

Mr. Arthayudh Srisamoot, Ambassador of Thailand to China and Mr. Raja Nushirwan Zainal Abidin, Ambassador of Malaysia to China, sent congratulatory messages via video for the symposium, reviewing the glorious history of ASEAN-China relations in the past 30 years of common development and expressing their heartfelt wishes for both sides to consolidate cooperation and create further glory under the new normal.

Chinese Ambassador to ASEAN Deng Xijun gave a comprehensive introduction to the important meetings held between ASEAN and China this year and the cooperation results in various fields. Mr. Hu Zhengyue, Vice President of China Public Diplomacy Association, and Ms. Ma Keqing, former Ambassador to the Philippines, combined their diplomatic experiences to summarize how China has been getting along with ASEAN for 30 years. Professor Zhai Kun, Guo Yanjun, Director of the Institute of Asian Studies at the Foreign Affairs Institute, and Liu Chang, researcher at the China Institute of International Studies, provided insightful analyses of the evolution of the world and regional situation and the further enhancement of ASEAN-China relations in the global landscape. They believe that the success of ASEAN and China in working together lies in adhering to the principles of trust and goodwill, treating each other as equals, looking out for each other , seeking for win-win cooperation and adhering to consensus and upholding multilateralism. ASEAN-China relations are at a new starting point and facing new opportunities. The two sides should keep the righteousness and innovation, build on the momentum, deepen political mutual trust, strengthen cooperation in combating epidemics, promote economic recovery, further unleash the vitality and potential of bilateral relations, jointly build a united and harmonious regional family, and make unremitting efforts to create a more exciting and powerful relationship for the next 30 years.

The symposium has gained wide media coverage including China Media Group, China Daily, sina.com and so on.