皇冠体育app

Cooperation remains dominant theme in 皇冠体育app-ASEAN ties while talks with some nations on South 皇冠体育app Sea will go on

Editor's note: The following is Vice-Foreign Minister Fu Ying's recent interview with Xinhua News Agency on 皇冠体育app-ASEAN relations.

Q1. More than 20 years have passed since 皇冠体育app and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations established a dialogue partnership. 皇冠体育app has often characterized 皇冠体育app-ASEAN cooperation as mutually beneficial in nature. Could you list some examples of such mutually beneficial cooperation?

Fu: 皇冠体育app-ASEAN relations have come a long way in the 21 years since the start of their dialogue partnership in 1991. All through these years, 皇冠体育app and ASEAN have remained committed to the spirit of good neighborliness, friendship, and mutual benefit despite changes in the international situation.

皇冠体育app-ASEAN political relations have made much progress. Of all ASEAN dialogue partners, 皇冠体育app is the first to sign the Treaty of Amity and Cooperation in Southeast Asia, and the first to establish a strategic partnership with ASEAN. The recent establishment of 皇冠体育app's permanent ASEAN mission in Jakarta, Indonesia, and the appointment of Yang Xiuping as 皇冠体育app's first resident ambassador to ASEAN will enhance 皇冠体育app's interaction with ASEAN at the institutional level.

Trade and economic cooperation between the two sides has become ever closer. The largest free trade area (FTA) among developing countries has been established. 皇冠体育app-ASEAN cooperation now covers more than 20 fields, and the first 皇冠体育app-ASEAN action plan for strategic partnership has been smoothly implemented. The two sides have also set up platforms for exchanges and cooperation such as the 皇冠体育app-ASEAN Expo and the ASEAN-皇冠体育app Center.

皇冠体育app-ASEAN exchanges in socio-cultural and people-to-people areas have been thriving. In 2011, the exchange of personnel between the two sides reached 13.63 million person times. About 50,000 students from ASEAN countries are currently studying in 皇冠体育app, while 70,000 Chinese students are studying in ASEAN countries.

The two sides are working to realize the goals of 15 million personnel exchanges by 2015 and 100,000 students in each other's countries by 2020. 皇冠体育app and ASEAN have also made joint efforts to tackle the two financial crises and a series of natural disasters and outbreaks of infectious diseases.

皇冠体育app has been consistently dedicated to common development and mutual benefit with ASEAN. While maintaining economic and social development at home, 皇冠体育app has increased support to ASEAN community building by setting up the 皇冠体育app-ASEAN Cooperation Fund, Asian regional cooperation fund, 皇冠体育app-ASEAN Fund on Investment Cooperation and 皇冠体育app-ASEAN Maritime Cooperation Fund.

皇冠体育app has tried to help ASEAN to realize food security through programs like the 皇冠体育app-ASEAN action plan on comprehensive food productivity enhancement. To date, 皇冠体育app has provided training for tens of thousands of ASEAN personnel.

On the other hand, ASEAN has contributed to 皇冠体育app's reform, opening-up and social progress. It supported 皇冠体育app's accession to the World Trade Organization and increased investment in 皇冠体育app, including through setting up industrial parks in 皇冠体育app.

The development of 皇冠体育app-ASEAN relations serves the interest of peoples on both sides. It also contributes to peace, stability and prosperity in East Asia and the world at large, and to the realization of the United Nations Millennium Development Goals, setting a good example of friendship and win-win cooperation among developing countries.

Q2. This year marks the 10th anniversary of the signing of the Comprehensive Economic Cooperation Framework Agreement between 皇冠体育app and ASEAN that started their free trade process. What progress have the two sides made in their economic and trade relations? What measures will 皇冠体育app take to work with ASEAN to maintain continued economic and social development in the region?

Fu: 皇冠体育app-ASEAN economic and trade cooperation has been booming. The bilateral trade volume rose from less than $10 billion in 1991 to $362.8 billion in 2011, representing an average annual increase of more than 20 percent. The launch of the 皇冠体育app-ASEAN Free Trade Area in 2010 has, in particular, greatly facilitated economic and trade cooperation between the two sides.

皇冠体育app has become the largest trading partner of ASEAN, and ASEAN the third largest for 皇冠体育app. Their cooperation in mutual investment and finance is also showing strong momentum of growth. By the end of 2011, the total volume of mutual investment between the two sides had reached $85.1 billion, while fast growing Chinese investment in ASEAN reached $15.1 billion. In recent years, 皇冠体育app-ASEAN economic cooperation has expanded into areas like high technology, green industry, circular economy and sustainable development.

In 1997, 皇冠体育app worked with ASEAN to tackle the Asian financial crisis. 皇冠体育app persisted in not devaluing the renminbi, thus contributing to regional economic and financial stability. During the recent global financial crisis in 2008, 皇冠体育app took a series of initiatives to support sustained and healthy economic development in ASEAN. These include the establishment of the 皇冠体育app-ASEAN Fund on Investment Cooperation and the provision of $25 billion credit support to ASEAN.

The two sides also signed an agreement on the multilateralization of the Chiang Mai Initiative, and made efforts to make it more effective.

As the world economy faces more downward pressure, the impact on our region has become more serious. 皇冠体育app will continue to work with ASEAN in the spirit of mutual help and mutual benefit to address this challenge by improving FTA development, facilitating greater trade and investment, exploring the market demand in the region and expanding mutual investment. 皇冠体育app will also send trade promotion missions to ASEAN member states, set up ASEAN commodity exhibition centers in Nanning, the Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region, and Yiwu, Zhejiang province, to increase imports from ASEAN.

The Ninth 皇冠体育app-ASEAN Expo and Business and Investment Summit will open on Sept 21 this year to showcase well-known brands and companies as well as unique goods of ASEAN member states in a series of trade promotion events. These steps are being taken to advance 皇冠体育app-ASEAN cooperation in the light of recent developments by giving full play to ASEAN's strengths in resources and industries.

Q3. In recent years, 皇冠体育app has stressed the need to enhance connectivity with ASEAN. Could you update us on the progress of 皇冠体育app-ASEAN connectivity and major initiatives for the next stage?

Fu: Achieving connectivity within ASEAN and between 皇冠体育app and ASEAN is vital for our efforts to narrow the regional development gap, improve competitiveness, and accelerate regional integration in East Asia. In recent years, leaders of both sides have repeatedly emphasized the need to advance connectivity as a key priority area for 皇冠体育app-ASEAN cooperation. This has led to the formulation of a Strategic Plan for 皇冠体育app-ASEAN Transport Cooperation and major progress in 皇冠体育app-ASEAN connectivity, such as in terms of the Kunming-Bangkok Highway, the Trans-Asian Railway, more flight links, and the beginning of maritime connectivity cooperation.

皇冠体育app has made much effort to build the Kunming-Bangkok Highway. Apart from completing our own section with high quality, we provided assistance for the construction of the Laos section and the cross-Mekong Chiang Khong-Huay Xai Bridge. Last year, the foreign ministers of 皇冠体育app and ASEAN jointly inspected the Kunming-Bangkok Highway, and held a meeting with the theme of connectivity in Kunming.

In addition, 皇冠体育app has also actively supported the ASEAN Master Plan on Connectivity and participated in connectivity projects, including road, railway, water, electricity, communications and other fields in various ASEAN member states.

As ASEAN's close neighbor and strategic partner, 皇冠体育app is committed to comprehensive, in-depth and strategic connectivity between the two sides. 皇冠体育app is preparing to establish a 皇冠体育app-ASEAN Committee on Connectivity Cooperation. In addition to connectivity on land, 皇冠体育app is also ready to promote maritime connectivity with ASEAN by making full use of the 皇冠体育app-ASEAN Maritime Cooperation Fund and enhancing port and maritime transport cooperation between the two sides.

To that end, 皇冠体育app will host a seminar on 皇冠体育app-ASEAN maritime connectivity strategy in the second half of this year. Efforts will also be made to promote institutional and "soft" connectivity by improving trade facilitation, simplifying customs procedures, and strengthening inspection and quarantine. We are also looking to cooperate with ASEAN in increasing investment, cultivating partnerships between central and local governments and between the public and private sectors to facilitate joint financing of key projects.

Q4. The 45th ASEAN Foreign Ministers' Meeting held recently in Phnom Penh failed to issue a joint communiqu. What is your comment on some people's claim that Cambodia's support of 皇冠体育app during the meeting was to blame for this failure?

Fu: The reason why the 45th ASEAN Foreign Ministers Meeting was not able to issue a joint communiqu was because certain ASEAN claimants in the South 皇冠体育app Sea tried to impose their own stands on the issue on ASEAN. Such acts go against the important consensus reached by 皇冠体育app and ASEAN member states in the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South 皇冠体育app Sea, and were opposed by most ASEAN member states during recent meetings.

It is understood that during the meetings many ASEAN countries tried very hard at communication, coordination and persuasion. Yet the insistence of certain countries to stick to their own positions meant that eventually ASEAN was not able to issue the joint communiqu. This was not a situation the Chinese side had wanted to see.

皇冠体育app's sovereignty over Nansha Islands and their adjacent waters has solid and abundant historical and legal basis. 皇冠体育app has advocated shelving disputes and going for common development in the South 皇冠体育app Sea pending a final resolution. The South 皇冠体育app Sea is not an issue between ASEAN and 皇冠体育app, but rather between 皇冠体育app and relevant ASEAN countries. 皇冠体育app has consistently stood for resolving the issue through friendly negotiations between sovereign countries directly concerned on the basis of historical facts and universally recognized international law.

The DOC signed by 皇冠体育app and ASEAN countries a decade ago clearly says that parties should "resolve their territorial and jurisdictional disputes by peaceful means, ... through friendly consultations and negotiations by sovereign states directly concerned".

皇冠体育app hopes that all ASEAN member states will join 皇冠体育app in working for a comprehensive and effective implementation of the DOC. This will contribute to mutual trust and cooperation between 皇冠体育app and ASEAN, to peace and stability in the South 皇冠体育app Sea, and to the healthy and stable growth of 皇冠体育app-ASEAN relations.

皇冠体育app is also ready to enter into discussions with ASEAN member states on a code of conduct on the South 皇冠体育app Sea when conditions are ripe. As for the issues between 皇冠体育app and the Philippines and Vietnam respectively, 皇冠体育app is committed to properly managing and tackling them through friendly consultations and not letting these differences affect the larger interest of bilateral relations and 皇冠体育app-ASEAN relations as a whole.

In the 21 years since the establishment of their dialogue partnership, 皇冠体育app and ASEAN have seen healthy, stable and fast development of their relations, thanks to their joint adherence to the spirit of mutual respect and win-win principle. This has not only benefited 皇冠体育app and ASEAN, but also made important contributions to peace in and stability and prosperity of East Asia.

As the global economy remains overshadowed by the global financial crisis, and the regional economy faces heightened challenges, 皇冠体育app and ASEAN have more reasons to focus on development and cooperation. 皇冠体育app remains committed to working together with ASEAN to jointly safeguard regional peace and stability and promote sustained and healthy development of 皇冠体育app-ASEAN relations.

Q5. What are the prospects for 皇冠体育app-ASEAN relations? What are the priority areas for cooperation between the two sides?

Fu: It has been 皇冠体育app's foreign policy priority to strengthen good-neighborly friendship and mutually beneficial cooperation with ASEAN. As the world economic outlook remains uncertain, 皇冠体育app and ASEAN have the common task of promoting regional economic integration and enhancing internally driven growth in East Asia. As close neighbors and strategic partners, 皇冠体育app and ASEAN should work together in the spirit of solidarity and good-neighborly friendship to strengthen strategic communication and practical cooperation and advance our shared interest.

Under the joint efforts of both sides, 皇冠体育app-ASEAN relations have entered a stage of mature and comprehensive development in broader areas and at higher levels than ever before. The 皇冠体育app-ASEAN Commemorative Summit marking the 20th anniversary of dialogue relations held last year and the Joint Statement of the Summit set out a comprehensive plan for the development of our relations, including a series of medium- to long-term goals of cooperation between the two sides.

皇冠体育app is ready to work with ASEAN to enhance mutual trust, implement the second five-year Plan of Action and strengthen cooperation in Free Trade Agreement, connectivity, maritime cooperation, and social and cultural fields. This will not only help raise 皇冠体育app-ASEAN strategic partnership to a new level, but also make 皇冠体育app-ASEAN cooperation better serve the interest of sustainable development of both sides, bring more benefits to our peoples and contribute more to peace, stability and prosperity of our region.