ASEAN and China reaffirm their commitment to strengthen their partnership

At the 30th ASEAN-China Senior Officials’ Consultation, held at ASEAN Headquarters/ASEAN Secretariat, ASEAN and China reaffirmed the commitment of both sides to enhance their Comprehensive Strategic Partnership (CSP).

China reaffirmed its support for ASEAN Community-building efforts and ASEAN Centrality, and for ASEAN to play an even greater role in regional affairs. China stressed that it continued to place high priority on its relations with ASEAN as part of its neighborhood diplomacy.

Both sides exchanged views on the developments of ASEAN and China, and the continuous progress of ASEAN-China cooperation over the past year. Substantial progress has been made in the implementation of several areas under the ASEAN-China Action Plan 2021-2025 and its Annex to advance the CSP.

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The meeting discussed ways to further promote cooperation within the framework of the DEP, particularly in the areas of trade and investment, connectivity, the digital ecosystem, the blue economy, clean energy, agriculture and food security, culture and tourism. ASEAN hopes to enhance practical cooperation in key areas of the ASEAN Indo-Pacific Outlook (AOIP), in line with the Joint Declaration on Mutually Beneficial Cooperation in the AOIP adopted in 2023.

Both sides also discussed this year’s cooperation theme, the ASEAN-China Year of People-to-People Exchanges. A series of projects and activities have been and will be carried out throughout the year in China and ASEAN Member States to promote people-to-people exchanges between ASEAN and China.

The Senior Officials exchanged views on regional and international events of common interest and concern. Both sides noted the need to enhance cooperation to address regional challenges such as terrorism, human trafficking, illicit drug abuse and cybercrime.

Both sides exchanged views on the developments of ASEAN and China, and the continuous progress of ASEAN-China cooperation over the past year

The meeting discussed preparations for the upcoming ASEAN-China Ministerial Meeting and the ASEAN-China Summit, and took note of China’s proposals for the year’s outcomes, including in the areas of non-traditional security and people-to-people exchanges. Both sides look forward to the conclusion of the ASEAN-China FTA 3.0 update negotiations, as well as the effective implementation of the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (RCEP), among others.

The meeting was co-chaired by Deputy Senior Official/Director-General of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Myanmar, Dr. Khin Thidar Aye, and Senior Official/Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of China, Sun Weidong, and was attended by Senior Officials of ASEAN Member States or their representatives and the ASEAN Deputy Secretary-General for the ASEAN Political and Security Community. East Timor attended as an observer.