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.

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