- Istimewa
Jakarta – The Prime Minister of China, Li Qiang said that the country and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) have committed to maintain regional stability amid various challenges.
During the 26th ASEAN-China Summit in Jakarta on Wednesday, Qiang said that cooperation between China and ASEAN should remain strong ahead despite challenges.
"We seek common ground by putting aside differences and handle disagreements well through dialog,"
Qiang stated that China and ASEAN's joint efforts are reflected in four areas. First, the commitment to treat each other with sincerity and mutual trust despite the current global situation.
Perdana Menteri China Li Keqiang.
- ANTARA/M. Irfan Ilmie
Second, China and ASEAN are committed to mutual assistance and consistently deepening practical cooperation in traditional and non-traditional security fields, including in dealing with COVID-19 challenges.
Third, the two sides are committed to mutually beneficial cooperation, including keeping markets open to each other.
"The volume of China-ASEAN two-way trade last year reached more than US$ 170 million (IDR 2,601 trillion), doubling compared with a decade ago," Qiang remarked.
Fourth, China and ASEAN have promoted new cooperation in addressing climate change, environmental protection, energy transition, and poverty alleviation through development cooperation.
China has been a dialog partner of ASEAN since 1996. In 2021, ASEAN and China upgraded their relationship to the level of a comprehensive strategic partnership.
Earlier, President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) said that ASEAN and China relations could result in concrete cooperation if there is mutual trust, "This trust and concrete cooperation can be a positive force.
