China and ASEAN are friendly neighbors with a shared future. Since the dialogue process started in 1991, the two sides have managed to chart the right path of long-term good-neighborly friendship, common development and prosperity, thus making important contribution to peace, stability and development in Asia.

At the Special Summit to Commemorate the 30th Anniversary of ASEAN-China Dialogue Relations (“Special Summit”) on November 22, 2021, the two sides jointly announced the establishment of a comprehensive strategic partnership for peace, security, prosperity and sustainable development, marking a new milestone in the history of bilateral relations.

Over the past two years, ASEAN-China comprehensive strategic cooperation has entered a fast track of growth with fruitful development in the building of a peaceful, safe and secure, prosperous, beautiful and amicable homeland, setting itself as an important practice for the building of a China-ASEAN community of a shared future.

Build a Peaceful Homeland

1. The two sides have witnessed ever more frequent high-level exchanges, deepening strategic mutual trust and stronger political guidance. President Xi Jinping and leaders of ASEAN countries have maintained close strategic communication to steer the development of ASEAN-China relations. Premier Li Qiang has met his ASEAN counterparts and exchanged views on many occasions, promoting bilateral friendship and cooperation in an all-round way. Leaders of Vietnam, Laos, Malaysia, Singapore, the Philippines, Indonesia, Cambodia, and Thailand have visited China. Member of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and Foreign Minister Wang Yi has stayed in close contact with foreign ministers of ASEAN countries and ASEAN Secretary-General through bilateral visits and meetings on multilateral occasions.

2. China has reached important consensus with Indonesia, Thailand, Malaysia, Myanmar, Laos and Cambodia respectively on building a community with a shared future. The building of Lancang-Mekong community with a shared future has been making steady progress. China and ASEAN have taken new steps towards building an even closer community of a shared future, setting a fine example of good-neighborly friendship and cooperation.

3. In August 2022, China issued its Position Paper on Supporting ASEAN Centrality in the Evolving Regional Architecture, which supports an ASEAN-led, open and inclusive regional architecture and endeavors to uphold genuine multilateralism and open regionalism with ASEAN. In July 2023, the ASEAN-China Foreign Ministers' Meeting issued the Joint Statement on Commemorating and Reflecting on the 20th Anniversary of China’s Accession to the Treaty of Amity and Cooperation in Southeast Asia (TAC) to jointly promote the purposes and principles of the TAC and safeguard regional rules and order.

4. In April 2022, President Xi Jinping proposed the Global Security Initiative (GSI) at the opening ceremony of the Boao Forum for Asia Annual Conference. In February 2023, China released the GSI Concept Paper, which specifically emphasizes the importance of supporting and improving the mechanism and architecture of regional security cooperation centered on ASEAN, upholding the ASEAN way of consensus building and accommodating each other’s comfort level, and strengthening security dialogue and cooperation among regional countries. Malaysia, Indonesia, Laos, Myanmar, Cambodia, Thailand, Viet Nam and other ASEAN countries have expressed appreciation or support for the GSI. 

5. China firmly supports ASEAN countries in their efforts to build and maintain a nuclear-weapon-free zone in Southeast Asia. In August 2022, China and ASEAN countries reached consensus and issued the ARF Statement on Preserving Southeast Asia Nuclear-Weapon-Free Zone. Since early 2023 when ASEAN decided it would no longer insist that the five Nuclear-Weapon States sign the Protocol to the Treaty on the Southeast Asia Nuclear-Weapon-Free Zone at the same time, China made it clear to ASEAN that it was willing to be the first to sign the protocol, and has maintained communication with ASEAN.

Build a Safe and Secure Homeland

6. The two sides fought together against the COVID-19 pandemic and carried out cooperation under the "China-ASEAN Health Shield" cooperation initiative with remarkable results. Since the outbreak of COVID-19, China has provided 325 million doses of COVID-19 vaccines to ASEAN countries, and set up vaccine production lines with Malaysia and Myanmar. China has also provided a large number of epidemic prevention supplies to ASEAN countries and the ASEAN Secretariat, including masks, protective suits, testing reagents, thermometers and ventilators, and dispatched teams of medical experts to Laos, Cambodia, the Philippines, Myanmar and Malaysia, in addition to donations totaling US$6 million to the COVID-19 ASEAN Response Fund. China held activities for ASEAN countries such as the 2022 medical aid training and China-ASEAN Forum on Health Cooperation, and conducted experience-sharing on maternal and child safety. Health authorities of China and ASEAN are now discussing the establishment of a China-ASEAN Maternal and Child Health Cooperation Center.

7. China supports ASEAN centrality in the field of defense and security, actively participates in ADMM-PLUS and ARF security policy meetings, and takes part in ADMM-PLUS expert group exercises and training exchanges on counter-terrorism, peacekeeping, military medicine, humanitarian relief, disaster reduction and cyber security. The two sides have strengthened strategic communication and dialogue between the leaders of their defense departments and the military, and held informal meetings of China-ASEAN defense ministers. China provides assistance to ASEAN countries in military medical treatment, military education, material and equipment.

8. China continues to provide mine-clearing assistance and cooperation to ASEAN countries. China and Cambodia are actively preparing for multinational joint mine clearance operations under the framework of the ADMM-PLUS. China has been providing funding, mine-clearing equipment, humanitarian assistance and training for technical personnel to Cambodia and Laos since 2022. China has funded the ASEAN Regional Mine Action Center (ARMAC) to hold conferences in mine action, and sent technical experts to ARMAC. The 2nd High-Level Regional Dialogue on "Enhancing Regional Cooperation and Resource Mobilization in ASEAN Mine/ERW Action" will be held in Nanjing on 7-8 September 2023.

9. China and ASEAN countries have continued to deepen cooperation in combating transnational crimes and terrorism, and cracking down on new types of crimes such as telecom fraud and online gambling. Such actions include maintaining joint patrols along the Mekong River by China, Laos, Myanmar, and Thailand, continuing to promote the joint anti-drug operation“Safe Mekong”by China, Laos, Thailand, Cambodia and Vietnam, jointly cracking down on gambling and criminal fraud in Myawaddy, Tachilek and Laukkaing of Myanmar by China, Myanmar and Thailand, carrying out activities for the Law Enforcement Cooperation Year between China and Cambodia, and increasing cooperation in drug control, chasing and capturing fugitives, and combating fraud and online gambling between China and the Philippines. Since November 2022, Chinese public security and law enforcement authorities have held online training courses on drug control, railway security and combating transnational crimes for more than 310 law enforcement officials from ASEAN countries.

10. The second ASEAN-China Ministerial Meeting on Disaster Management was held in October 2022. China has continued to actively implement the ASEAN-China Work Plan on Disaster Management (2021-2025) and build the ASEAN-China Center for Emergency Management Cooperation (ACCEMC). China has also held the ASEAN-China Forum for Emergency Management Cooperation and Disaster Management Capacity Building Program to enhance experience-sharing and capacity-building in disaster management.

11. The year 2023 is the ASEAN-China Year of Agricultural Development and Food Security Cooperation. The two sides held a series of activities on fishery, youth as well as digital, smart and green agriculture. The 26th ASEAN-China Summit plans to issue the ASEAN-China Joint Statement on Deepening Agricultural Cooperation and the ASEAN-China Action Plan on Green Agricultural Development to chart the direction and priorities of greater cooperation on agriculture and food security. 

12. China and ASEAN countries have been making constant progress in fully and effectively implementing the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea (DOC), advancing practical maritime cooperation, and promoting consultations on the Code of Conduct in the South China Sea (COC). In November 2022, the 25th ASEAN-China Summit issued the Joint Statement on the 20th Anniversary of the DOC, stressing to build the South China Sea into a sea of peace, friendship and cooperation. In July 2023, the ASEAN-China Foreign Ministers' Meeting welcomed the successful completion of the second reading of the Single Draft COC Negotiating Text and adopted the Guidelines for Accelerating the Early Conclusion of an Effective and Substantive COC. Sine the end of 2021, China and ASEAN countries have held one senior official’s meeting and five joint working group meetings on the implementation of the DOC. To facilitate DOC implementation, China held the 2nd and 3rd Training Courses on Marine Scientific Research in the South China Sea and the Advanced Training Programme on Maritime Search and Rescue among China and ASEAN Member States, to create a favorable atmosphere for proper handling of the South China Sea issue and COC consultations.

Build a Prosperous Homeland

13. China and ASEAN are each other's largest trading partner, with China being ASEAN's largest trading partner for 14 consecutive years and ASEAN being China's largest for three years in a row. ASEAN-China trade volume in 2022 exceeded 6.52 trillion yuan, representing a 15% increase year-on-year. In the first seven months of 2023, the bilateral trade volume registered 3.59 trillion yuan, an increase of 2.8% year-on-year.

14. The China-ASEAN Cooperation Forum on Building High-Quality Belt and Road was held in December 2021. China has signed inter-governmental memorandums of understanding on jointly building the BRI with all the 10 ASEAN countries. China has also signed inter-governmental cooperation plans with Laos, Cambodia, Brunei, Indonesia and Thailand.

15. Since the Special Summit in 2021, China has imported more than US$55 billion worth of quality agricultural products from ASEAN countries. Since 2022, China has signed 29 bilateral and multilateral customs inspection and quarantine cooperation documents with ASEAN countries, including 21 protocols on the import of agricultural and food products to China, such as longan from Cambodia, corn from Myanmar, slaughtered cattle from Laos, banana from Vietnam, durian from the Philippines, jackfruit from Malaysia and konjac flour from Indonesia. ASEAN remains China's third largest source of agricultural imports.

16. The Joint feasibility study on follow-up negotiations on the upgrading of the China-ASEAN Free Trade Area (CAFTA) has been successfully completed, and CAFTA 3.0 upgrade negotiations have been launched and progressing smoothly. In economic cooperation and trade, the two sides will further expand cooperation in new areas such as digital and green economies as well as supply chain connectivity.

17. Both sides have actively carried out e-commerce cooperation to promote digital connectivity. The 26th ASEAN-China Summit will issue the ASEAN-China Initiative on Enhancing Cooperation on E-Commerce.

18. China and ASEAN countries such as Indonesia, Malaysia and the Philippines have promoted the building of demonstration parks for innovative economic and trade development through cooperation models such as “Two Countries Twin Parks”. Such cooperation between China and Malaysia, in particular, has been upgraded.

19. China has been following through on its commitment to provide US$1.5 billion of development assistance to ASEAN countries from 2022 to 2024. It has signed economic and technical cooperation agreements as well as framework agreements on concessional loans with Vietnam, the Philippines, Cambodia and Myanmar, and supported major projects such as the Sihanoukville--Hong Kong Submarine Cable Project, the Dangkabet Dam and three priority bridges crossing Pasig-Marikina River, involving around 9.74 billion yuan of development assistance.

20. All ten ASEAN countries have taken part in the Group of Friends of the Global Development Initiative (GDI) at the United Nations Platform. The 25th ASEAN-China Summit issued the ASEAN-China Joint Statement on Strengthening Common and Sustainable Development, which explicitly discussed practical cooperation on GDI. The ten ASEAN countries have started to enjoy benefits from 15 of the first 50 cooperation projects listed in the GDI project pool.

21. China welcomes ASEAN countries to make applications for a special loan on China-ASEAN common development worth a total of US$15 billion. The second phase of the US$1-billion China-ASEAN Investment Cooperation Fund has been officially launched to support major infrastructure and clean energy projects in ASEAN countries.

22. The two sides reached consensus on the ASEAN-China Technical Cooperation Agreement and are preparing for its signing.

23. In May 2022, the secretariat of China-ASEAN Knowledge Network for Development was established in Beijing at the Center for International Knowledge on Development (CIKD), and activities such as China-ASEAN Development Knowledge Symposium and ASEAN Sustainable Development Workshop have been held.

24. Since the Special Summit, ASEAN countries have participated in major exhibitions such as the China International Import Expo, the Canton Fair and the China-ASEAN Expo, both online and offline. The 20th China-ASEAN Expo will be held in Nanning, Guangxi Province on September 16-19.

25. The building of the New International Land-Sea Trade Corridor has continued to move forward. In 2022, the total value of foreign trade freight reached 18.57 billion yuan, an increase of 37% year-on-year. In the first half of 2023, the value of foreign trade freight has amounted to 8.38 billion yuan. 

China has established a Lancang-Mekong connectivity cooperation mechanism with the five Mekong countries. Since its opening 20 months ago, the China-Laos railway has transported more than 4.5 million tons of cross-border goods and more than 20 million passengers. The China-Thailand railway is under construction, while the Jakarta-Bandung high-speed railway has started joint commissioning and testing in May 2023 so that it will be open to traffic soon.

26. China actively advances the construction of the "Smart Port" pilot program at the China-Vietnam Friendship Pass and Friendship Port. The China-Vietnam Detian-Ban Gioc Cross-border Waterfalls Tourism Cooperation Zone has been put into trial operation. China supports the renovation and upgrading of the China-Laos Mohan-Boten road port, and promotes the addition of border crossings between China and Myanmar, in an effort to enhance cross-border trade facilitation.

27.In December 2021, the Special Session of the China-ASEAN Ministerial Meeting on Science, Technology and Innovation(STI) issued the ASEAN-China Plan of Action of a Closer Partnership in STI for Future (2021-2025). The China-ASEAN STI Enhancing Programme and Special Initiative on China-ASEAN Technology Transfer have started to operate. 

In April 2023, the Ministry of Science and Technology of China and the ASEAN Secretariat launched the first round of solicitation for the China-ASEAN Joint Research Program. The first China-ASEAN Artificial Intelligence Cooperation Forum was held in July 2023, during which the Artificial Intelligence Development and Cooperation Initiative with ASEAN was released. The two sides also held activities such as the ASEAN-China Innovation and Entrepreneurship Competition and the inaugural meeting of the China-ASEAN Science and Technology Cooperation Center for Public Health.

28. In January 2022, the ASEAN Digital Ministers’ Meeting with China adopted the Action Plan on Implementing the ASEAN-China Partnership on Digital Economy Cooperation (2021-2025). Since 2021, China-ASEAN Digital Economy Development International Cooperation Training, China-ASEAN Digital Security Forum, China-ASEAN Digital Economy Innovation Forum and China-ASEAN Digital Economy Seminar have been held.

29. In July 2023, the China-ASEAN Forum on Emerging Technologies was held with a focus on cooperation in new energy vehicles, digital economy and energy electronics. China released the Initiative for Cooperation on Emerging Industries (Shenzhen Initiative).

30. The 2023 ASEAN-China Greater Bay Area Economic Cooperation (Qianhai) Forum kicked off in Shenzhen in July 2023. During the event, the Initiative on Building Closer Greater Bay Area-ASEAN Economic Partnership was declared,  and the Greater Bay Area-ASEAN Association of Chambers of Commerce and the ASEAN-China Think Tank Cooperation Partnership were launched.

Build a Beautiful Homeland

31. China supports having capacity-building activities with the ASEAN Centre for Climate Change.

32. The two sides have actively implemented the Framework of ASEAN-China Environmental Cooperation Strategy and Action Plan 2021-2025 and carried out regional cooperation on environment and climate change. In September 2022, the ASEAN-China Dialogue on Climate Change and Environment was held in Guangxi Province for dialogue and experience-sharing on climate change policies and actions, carbon markets and low-carbon cities.

33. China and ASEAN have agreed in principle on the establishment of the ASEAN-China Clean Energy Cooperation Center, and progress has been made in the preparatory work. The first China-ASEAN Clean Energy Week (CACEW) will be held in Hainan, China on September 18-24.

34. In 2022 and 2023, the 16th and 17th ASEAN-China Forums on Social Development and Poverty Reduction were held to further deepen exchanges and cooperation on poverty reduction, rural development and grassroots governance. The ASEAN-China Village Leaders Exchange Program was held on the sidelines of the forums.

35. In August 2022, China issued the Fact Sheet of China’s Efforts to Build the ASEAN-China Blue Economy Partnership. China is ready to strengthen communication and coordination with ASEAN for the establishment of a blue economy partnership and promote sustainable marine development. China hopes to strengthen cooperation with ASEAN in marine science and technology innovation, transformation of relevant scientific and technological achievements, and enhancing the vitality of the ASEAN-China Countries Joint Research and Development Center of Marine Science and Technology.

Build an Amicable Home

36. Visa application policies for ASEAN nationals to China have been fully restored to those before COVID-19. Flights between China and the ten ASEAN countries are being resumed in an orderly manner.

37. The 6th Meeting of China-ASEAN Ministers Responsible for Culture and Arts was held in October 2022 for discussions on implementation of the China-ASEAN Work Plan on Cooperation in Culture and Arts. In June 2023, the 18th China-ASEAN Cultural Forum was held, and library representatives from China and ASEAN countries issued the China-ASEAN Libraries Alliance Initiative and established the China-ASEAN Libraries Alliance.

38. In June 2022, the 13th ASEAN-China People’s Friendship Conference was held in Laos with the participation of heads of people's friendship organizations from China and the ten ASEAN countries. The conference issued the ASEAN-China People’s Friendship Conference Communiqué.

39. In September 2022, the Fourth ASEAN-China Audio Video Communication Week was held in Nanning, Guangxi Province with a sub-session being held for the first time in Cambodia. The opening ceremony of the Fifth ASEAN-China Audio Video Communication Week, which will be renamed “ ASEAN-China Media Week”, is planned to be held in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia in November 2023.

40. From June to November 2022, the 3rd ASEAN-China “Friendship and Cooperation” Short Video Contest was held, collecting more than 20,000 short videos on the theme of friendship and cooperation from peoples on both sides，and making over 15 million broadcasts on new media platforms. 

41. In 2022 and 2023, two sessions of the ASEAN-China Media Cooperation Forum were held in Beijing and Zhejiang respectively. Representatives from governments, media and think tanks of the two sides had in-depth exchanges on GDI and media cooperation.

42. The China-ASEAN Young Leaders Scholarship continues to work smoothly, enrolling a total of 122 students in 2022 and 2023. In addition, Hainan Province of China set up a scholarship for ASEAN Students in March 2023, where 100 scholarships are provided to ASEAN countries every year.

43. In November 2022, the "ASEAN Students’ Talk with Taikonauts" event organized by China was successfully held, involving around 1,000 youth and media representatives from China and ASEAN countries.

44. In May 2023, the 14th China-ASEAN Youth Campus was held in China. At the China-ASEAN Youth Development Forum, one of the Campus events, youth representatives from both sides exchanged views on topics such as poverty reduction in the digital age and enabling youth development through scientific and technological innovation.

45. Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia and the Philippines sent athletes to the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics, and athletes from eight ASEAN countries participated in the Chengdu 2023 World University Games. China and ASEAN have reached consensus on establishing a sports cooperation mechanism, and the first ASEAN plus China Ministerial Meeting on Sports was held on September 1, 2023.

46. China and ASEAN countries have deepened friendly exchanges on women through capacity-building training and material assistance. The 2023 China-ASEAN Women's Forum with the theme of "Innovation in Science and Technology for Women's Development" will be held in September 2023.

47. In 2022, the 3rd China-ASEAN Education Ministers Roundtable Conference was held during the 15th China-ASEAN Education Cooperation Week, issuing the Vision and Action on ASEAN-China Education Cooperation and Development (2022-2030). 

In the 2021-2022 academic year, over 100,000 students from ASEAN countries studied in China, and about 62,000 Chinese students studied in ASEAN countries. The 16th China-ASEAN Education Exchange Week was held in Guiyang, Guizhou Province of China from August 28 to September 2 2023.

Looking Ahead

China and ASEAN have been friendly neighbors that help each other, good friends that respect and trust each other, and reliable partners that engage in mutually beneficial cooperation. 

The year 2023 is the 10th anniversary of President Xi Jinping’s proposal of jointly building a closer ASEAN-China community with a shared future. 

China will unswervingly follow the policy of friendship and cooperation with ASEAN, stay committed to common development with ASEAN countries, enrich the ASEAN-China comprehensive strategic partnership, and build a closer ASEAN-China community of a shared future for regional peace, stability and prosperity.