In challenging times, SE Asia steps forward

Face-to-face dialogue

This year was the first time that ASEAN held a face-to-face meeting since the pandemic started in 2020. And one of the highlights of the 40th and 41st ASEAN summits was the release of an ASEAN and China joint statement.

Chinese Premier Li Keqiang, on Nov 11, attended the 25th China-ASEAN Summit in Phnom Penh. In a joint statement, the two sides said they support ASEAN's leading role in shaping the regional architecture by promoting closer cooperation through ASEAN-led mechanisms.

They also agreed to reaffirm their commitments to development and give priority to development undertakings and deepen cooperation through extensive consultation and joint efforts, so as to build a meaningful, substantive and mutually beneficial China-ASEAN Comprehensive Strategic Partnership, for peace, security, prosperity, and sustainable development.

Thong Mengdavid said ASEAN and China both have big markets and growing populations and their partnership will require "all-around cooperation to promote common interests and regional stability, and prosperity".

Ang said the value of China-ASEAN bilateral trade has been "breaking new records" in the past few years and will be on the rise again over the next few years.

"One simple fact is that the rest of the world is not growing at a rate to which it can trade with China to allow China to maintain its growth path. ASEAN is a fast-growing economic bloc — easily around 5 percent GDP growth rate in 2023 and the next few years," he said.

For a region with a GDP of more than $3 trillion, a median age in the early 30s and a population of 680 million, it is only to be expected that ASEAN will work with China to further its growth path, he said.

Contact the writers at prime@chinadailyapac.com.

PRIME SARMIENTO in Manila and YANG HAN in Hong Kong