Chinese President Xi Jinping speaks at the summit via video link. File
Beijing:
President Xi Jinping said on Monday that China would not seek “hegemony” or bully smaller countries as he announced $1.5 billion in development assistance to ASEAN in addition to improving ties with China. comprehensive strategic cooperation to strengthen security cooperation with the 10-nation bloc. , in the context that the US is pushing hard into the resource-rich Indo-Pacific.
Mr. Xi delivered a speech at the Special Summit of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) – China on the occasion of the 30th anniversary of ASEAN-China dialogue relations.
Speaking at the summit via video link, President Xi reiterated that China “resolutely opposes hegemony and power politics, wishes to maintain friendly relations with neighboring countries and jointly each other to cultivate lasting peace in the region and will absolutely not seek hegemony, even bully the small.”
“As distance tests a horse’s strength, time reveals one’s heart,” Xi said. “China has been, is and will always be a good neighbor, good friend and good partner of ASEAN. I want to emphasize that China will resolutely make ASEAN a priority in its periphery diplomacy.”
China, the first country to establish a special relationship with ASEAN countries such as Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam, has reaped many benefits in terms of turnover. Trade with this block reached over 732 USD. last year with Beijing emerging as the largest trading partner.
India, which has a special relationship with ASEAN countries, also hosted the India-ASEAN summit last month in which Prime Minister Narendra Modi said 2022 would be commemorated as the ‘Year of Friendship. ASEAN-India Summit’ to mark 30 years of their partnership.
Speaking at the summit, Mr. Xi announced the establishment of a comprehensive strategic partnership.
China has several categories to label its relations with different countries. The lowest level is a partnership, while the highest level is a comprehensive strategic partnership of coordination for a new era, namely the country’s relationship with Russia, its emerging close ally. of Beijing.
“This is a new milestone in the history of our relations and will give new impetus to peace, stability, prosperity and development in our region and in the world,” Xi said.
“China is willing to provide ASEAN with another $1.5 billion in development assistance over the next three years to assist ASEAN countries in combating COVID-19 and economic recovery,” he said.
China is willing to import more quality products from ASEAN countries, including the purchase of agricultural products worth up to 150 billion USD from ASEAN in the next five years, he said.
“We support the establishment of a China-ASEAN Knowledge Network for development. China is also willing to strengthen exchanges and cooperation with ASEAN on poverty alleviation to promote balanced and inclusive development.” , he said.
He also said that China is willing to donate an additional 150 million doses of COVID vaccine to ASEAN countries to support higher vaccination rates in countries in the region in addition to $5 million for the ASEAN COVID-19 Response Fund.
Xi said China would upgrade the free trade zone with ASEAN established in 2011 and transfer more advanced technology.
To achieve more beneficial relations, Mr. Xi proposed close security cooperation with ASEAN countries, despite the South China Sea (SCS) dispute involving several ASEAN countries.
“To address these challenges, it is important to pursue common, inclusive, cooperative and sustainable security, and to strengthen cooperation in areas such as defence, counter-terrorism, search, rescue and joint exercises at sea, combating transnational crime and disaster management,” Xi said.
He also said that “joint efforts are needed to protect stability in the East Sea and turn it into a sea of peace, friendship and cooperation”.
“We seek high-quality Belt and Road cooperation with ASEAN and cooperation between the Belt and Road Initiative and ASEAN Outlook for the Indo-Pacific,” he said.
China, while expressing reservations about the Indo-Pacific concept, has also raised concerns about the major US push into the region as well as the formation of a Quad alliance consisting of the US and the US. , India, Japan and Australia in addition to AUKUS, the alliance of the US, Australia and the UK. . Beijing says these alliances are intended to contain its rise.
Currently, the United States and its allies have stepped up air and naval patrols in the South China Sea to assert freedom of navigation, much to Beijing’s dismay.
As it develops its political and economic positions in ASEAN, China has in recent years forged closer strategic partnerships with Cambodia and Laos, which critics say has prevented the The union is pushing for the 10-member bloc to take a more assertive stance against Beijing.
Notably, ASEAN countries have resisted China’s attempt to woo Myanmar’s military ruler, General Min Aung Hlaing, whose regime has faced accusations of egregious human rights abuses. , attended the summit.
The virtual summit chaired by Mr. Xi was held without representation from Myanmar despite Beijing’s aggressive lobbying to get Hlaing’s participation. Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore and Brunei are said to have opposed China’s proposal to put Myanmar’s military leader.
In a statement, Myanmar’s Information Ministry thanked China for inviting its representative to the meeting and complained that some members of the bloc had pressured a “non-political” representative to attend.
Commenting on the summit, Chen Xiangmiao, a research fellow with the National Institute for South China Sea Studies, said China and ASEAN have yet to establish a formal dialogue mechanism between the defense ministers and the two sides. party can work in this direction.
“Security cooperation between China and ASEAN has not been enough over the years,” Chen told the Hong Kong-based South China Morning Post.
“There have been some breakthroughs in 2018 when China and ASEAN held their first joint exercise, but there has not been a formal dialogue platform between their defense ministers.”
Chen said other cooperation could include supply chain and infrastructure connectivity.
Xu Liping, an expert on Southeast Asia with the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, said both China and the US are aware of the importance of ASEAN. The US has seen a potential role for the region in countering Beijing’s growing influence, he added, while China aims to prevent ASEAN nations from siding with the US.
“This region is important to both China and the US,” Xu said. “It’s an important military and commercial passageway for the United States.”
Chen said the US is aiming to use its military bases in ASEAN countries and put diplomatic pressure on Beijing. “The US hopes to make ASEAN its partner, on par with China,” he told the Post.
