Chinese Prime Minister Li Qiang has called for unity and promoting cooperation in East Asia expressing hope that countries outside the region fully respect the efforts made by the regional countries to negotiate the rules of the South China Sea and maintain peace and stability in the region.
He expressed these views at the 43rd summit of the Association of the South East Asian Nations (ASEAN) concluded in Jakarta recently.
ASEAN, he said, had been China’s largest trading partner for three consecutive years. We look forward to accelerating the pace of mutual cooperation for the collective good of the people of this part of the world as well as the entire world, said PM Li.
In the first half of 2023, China’s trade with ASEAN countries accounted for 15.3 percent of China’s total trade, reaching 3.08 trillion yuan ($428.96 billion), up 5.4 percent from 2022.
Indonesia had hosted the 43rd Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Summit and several other high-profile meetings associated with the Summit held in Jakarta from September 5 to 7. Leaders from 22 countries and nine international organizations attended the summit, making it the largest of its kind ever.
“Within three days, 12 summits have been held, resulting in 90 outcome documents and a number of concrete agreements with partners,” Indonesian President JokoWidodo said while addressing the closing ceremony of the summit.
As a grouping, ASEAN is the 5th largest economy in the world, with a combined GDP of $3.3 trillion in 2021. ASEAN has become one of the fastest growing regions in recent years.
Due to geopolitical relations, the role of ASEAN in regional affairs and governance has attracted much attention from the international community. ASEAN has become an important force influencing regional and international affairs.
The most significant challenge in Jakarta is to decide how ASEAN countries can avoid tipping the balance between China and the U.S., and maintain sustainable economic growth despite the influence of the competition between them. To do this, ASEAN must maintain healthy ties with both countries.
Indonesia’s chairmanship in this year’s ASEAN summit has the theme “ASEAN Matters: Epicentrum of Growth.” The priority for the 43rd ASEAN Summit focuses on how to strengthen ASEAN to become a fast-growing, inclusive, and sustainable economic region amid a changing world. This year’s theme reflects ASEAN’s determination to take its own development as the primary goal.
There are many topics on the agenda for the 43rd ASEAN Summit. Nevertheless, the focus is on the economy. How to achieve a fast-growing and inclusive growth by providing new impetus to the regional economy is the top priority among the member countries. Attracting investment and boosting trade are vital for ASEAN. The ASEAN countries have enormous natural resources. They could offer huge potential opportunities for foreign investors. During the Summit, leaders discussed how to deepen cooperation in emerging areas such as the digital economy, e-commerce, food security and green economy. Deepening cooperation in these areas will make ASEAN more resilient to cope with future challenges.
