From November 21 to 22, 2015, Premier Li Keqiang attended the 18th China-ASEAN (10+1) Summit, the 18th ASEAN Plus China, Japan and the ROK (10+3) Summit and the 10th East Asia Summit held in Kuala Lumpur of Malaysia. Following the meetings on the afternoon of November 22, Vice Foreign Minister Liu Zhenmin briefed the Chinese and foreign journalists on the main outcomes of Premier Li Keqiang's attendance at the meetings.

Liu Zhenmin said that in these two days, Premier Li Keqiang attended three leaders' meetings in succession and held many bilateral meetings. With a busy schedule, he has made important contributions to the successful convening of the leaders' meetings on East Asia cooperation. During the meetings, Premier Li had extensive and in-depth exchanges of views with participating leaders from various countries on China-ASEAN relations and East Asia cooperation, and proposed a series of cooperation initiatives, receiving active responses from the ASEAN countries.

At the 10+1 Summit, Premier Li Keqiang reiterated China's policies and proposals toward the ASEAN, stressing that China always takes the ASEAN as a priority in its neighborhood diplomacy, firmly supports the establishment of the ASEAN community and supports the ASEAN's central role in regional cooperation. He proposed to continue promoting the implementation of the "2+7 cooperation framework" put forward by China in 2013, to keep communication in discussing and signing the "China-ASEAN Agreement on Good-Neighborly and Friendly Cooperation", and that all parties should earnestly implement the protocol of upgrading the China-ASEAN free trade area signed during the meetings to strive for the goal of bilateral trade volume reaching one trillion USD by 2020. To further support the establishment of the ASEAN community, China announced an aid gratis of 3.6 billion RMB next year to less developed countries of the ASEAN. China will set up a special-purpose loan of 10 billion USD for the second phase of the China-ASEAN infrastructure to support connectivity construction of the two sides. China demonstrated its willingness to discuss production capacity cooperation with the ASEAN and to support the ASEAN countries to accelerate their industrialization and urbanization processes. China suggested to institutionalize the bilateral defense ministers' informal meetings at an early date, to discuss setting up a direct call mechanism on China-ASEAN defense affairs, to hold regular China-ASEAN ministerial dialogues on law enforcement security cooperation and to set up the China-ASEAN Law Enforcement Academy, and proposed to provide training for 2,000 staff members from the law-enforce departments of the ASEAN countries in the next five years.

The ASEAN countries thanked China for its support to the establishment of the ASEAN community. They held that China is the ASEAN's most active dialogue partner sharing the richest connotation in cooperation, and appreciated China's series of constructive proposals on deepening China-ASEAN cooperation. They expressed their willingness to work with China to take the opportunity of the 25th anniversary of the establishment of bilateral dialogue relations to promote China-ASEAN relations to a new level. The Summit has achieved fruitful results. First, it adopted the "Plan of Action to Implement the Joint Declaration on China-ASEAN Strategic Partnership for Peace and Prosperity (2016-2020)". This document contains nearly 300 cooperative measures, covering cooperation in fields such as political security, economy, society, culture and sub-region and providing a comprehensive plan for bilateral cooperation in various fields in the next five years. This reflects enormous support for the establishment of the ASEAN community. Second, a series of commemorations will be held to celebrate the 25th anniversary of the establishment of China-ASEAN dialogue relations next year, including holding a commemorative summit, setting 2016 as the "Year of China-ASEAN Educational Exchanges" and others. Third, the ASEAN countries responded actively to China's initiatives such as strengthening international production capacity cooperation, and expressed their hope to discuss and sign documents on China-ASEAN international production capacity cooperation next year. Fourth, the two sides decided to earnestly implement the follow-up work of negotiations on upgrading the China-ASEAN free trade area to jointly promote bilateral economic and trade exchanges to a new stage.

Liu Zhenmin introduced that at the 10+3 Summit, Premier Li Keqiang stressed the 10+3 cooperation as the primary channel for East Asian cooperation and its important role in promoting economic integration in East Asia, saying that the recent resumption of the sixth Trilateral Leaders' Meeting of China, Japan and the ROK and the upcoming establishment of the ASEAN community will serve as new drive for 10+3 cooperation. China proposed to deepen practical 10+3 cooperation in various fields, strengthen coordination and docking of macro policies, and jointly safeguard regional economic growth and financial stability. China proposed that the financial institutions of countries in the region establish an association for Asian financial cooperation so as to strengthen exchanges of financial institutions and integration of financial resources in the region. China suggested that China, Japan and the ROK should combine their respective advantages to jointly promote the industrialization of the ASEAN in the international market and particularly conduct cooperation in fields such as engineering machinery, electricity and building materials. China also proposed that all sides join efforts and strive to finalize negotiations on the "Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP)" by the end of 2016. Besides, Premier Li also introduced at the Summit China's series of specific cooperative initiatives in fields such as connectivity, agriculture, poverty reduction, and people-to-people and cultural engagement.

Other countries of the 10+3 appreciated and actively responded to the series of initiatives proposed by China, spoke positively of the important outcomes of the sixth Trilateral Leaders' Meeting of China, Japan and the ROK, and expected that this will inject new and strong vigor into the 10+3 cooperation and promote the 10+3 cooperation for new momentum. All parties expressed their willingness to work with China to jointly maintain economic growth and financial stability of the region.

Liu Zhenmin said that Premier Li Keqiang elaborated views and propositions of China on the direction of the future development of the East Asia Summit (EAS) at the EAS. He emphasized that the EAS should continue "adherence" in four aspects, namely, adherence to its positioning as a "leaders-led strategic forum", adherence to the ASEAN's leading role, adherence to the "two-wheel drive" of development and security and adherence to a harmonious development of the EAS and other mechanisms. Premier Li Keqiang also put forward views and suggestions on the future cooperation of the Summit. First, accelerate regional economic integration to forge East Asia into a pole of stable growth in world economy. Second, actively carry out dialogues on political security to discuss establishing security architecture suitable for the region. Third, strengthen dialogues and communication of Asian civilizations to improve a harmonious coexistence of different civilizations. Premier Li's relevant views and suggestions were positively echoed by countries participating the Summit.

This year marks the tenth anniversary of the establishment of the EAS. The Summit released the "Kuala Lumpur Declaration Commemorating Tenth Anniversary of East Asia Summit". This Summit has yielded fruitful results, to which China has made significant contributions. The Summit clearly extended the performance period of the "Plan of Action to Implement the Phnom Penh Declaration on EAS Development Initiative" proposed by China to the year 2017, emphasizing continuing to strengthen cooperation in the six major fields of energy and environmental protection, finance, education, disaster management, public health, and ASEAN connectivity. In accordance with China's suggestions, the Summit listed sustainable growth and financial stability as the introductory topics for discussion. Leaders of most countries expressed their willingness to enhance practical cooperation, jointly maintain the momentum of regional economic growth and promote the process of East Asia economic integration. The Summit adopted the "Statement on Enhancing Regional Maritime Cooperation" jointly initiated by Indonesia, China, the US, Australia and New Zealand, charting the course for promoting sustainable development of maritime economy in the region where the 18 member states of the EAS locate, enhancing marine environmental protection, safeguarding maritime security and others.

Liu Zhenmin said that the EAS plays two main roles, namely, discussing ways of strengthening practical cooperation and carrying out dialogues and communication on major issues concerning international and regional political security. At the Summit, leaders of various countries had extensive and in-depth exchanges of views on issues of common concern of all parties, including combating violence and terrorism, illegal immigration, the Middle East situation and others. And many leaders mentioned the South China Sea issue.

Premier Li Keqiang set forth China's stance and propositions on the South China Sea issue at the 10+1 Summit and the EAS, and reiterated the "dual-track" approach initiated by China in resolving the South China Sea issue, namely, sovereign states directly concerned in the issue resolve the relevant disputes through negotiations and consultations, and China and the ASEAN countries jointly safeguard peace and stability of the South China Sea.

Premier Li Keqiang specially referred to the story of Zheng He, a great Chinese navigator who led a large fleet and made seven voyages to the South China Sea and western oceans 600 years ago. He stressed that it started the friendly tradition of upholding integrity to maintain good relations with neighbors and coexisting peacefully with each other. He said that the South China Sea enjoyed peace, stability and freedom of navigation as long as 600 years ago, and this remains true for today. Premier Li Keqiang stressed that the freedom of navigation and flying over in the South China Sea have never been a problem. China has always been a firm protector for the freedom of navigation and flying over in the South China Sea. All countries should fully respect the sovereignty and security of countries along the Sea when exercising the rights to navigation and flying over.

Premier Li Keqiang put forward five initiatives on properly solving the South China Sea issue. First, all countries promise to adhere to the purposes and principles of the Charter of the United Nations, defend the outcomes of the World War II and post-war order, cherish the hard-won peace and jointly maintain peace and stability in the world and regions including the South China Sea. Second, sovereign states directly concerned promise to settle disputes of territory and governance through friendly consultations and negotiations in a peaceful way in accordance with the recognized norms of the international law including the 1982 "UN Convention on the Law of the Sea". Third, China and the ASEAN countries promise to implement the "Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea" comprehensively, effectively and completely, accelerate the negotiations on the codes of conduct in the South China Sea, achieve the codes of conduct as soon as possible based on negotiations for consensus, and take measures to continuously improve the establishment of the regional mechanism of mutual trust and cooperation. Fourth, countries outside the region promise to respect and support the efforts made by countries in the region in maintaining peace and stability of the South China Sea, and play a positive and constructive role rather than taking actions leading to regional tension. Fifth, all countries promise to exercise and maintain the freedom of navigation and flying over in the South China Sea in accordance with the international law.

Vice Minister Liu Zhenmin also answered questions from the journalists concerning the South China Sea, China-Japan relations, regional free trade arrangements and others.