Premier Li Keqiang attends 20th China-ASEAN (10+1) leaders' meeting

Chinese Premier Li Keqiang attended the opening ceremony of a series of leaders' meetings on East Asian cooperation and the 20th China-ASEAN (10+1) leaders' meeting in the Philippine capital Manila on Monday.

Chinese Premier Li Keqiang (5th L) and leaders of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) member countries pose for group photos before the 20th China-ASEAN (10+1) leaders' meeting in Manila on November 13, 2017. [Photo: Xinhua/Liu Weibing]

Speaking at the 20th China-ASEAN (10+1) leaders' meeting, Li Keqiang said China proposes the formulation of a vision for strategic partnership between China and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) toward the year 2030 to upgrade cooperation. The vision will upgrade the China-ASEAN cooperation framework from 2+7 to 3+X.

The "2+7" refers to a cooperation framework proposed by Li in 2013 at a meeting with ASEAN leaders in Brunei, which emphasizes a two-point political consensus, namely enhancing strategic trust and promoting economic cooperation, and seven cooperation fields including trade facilitation, interconnectivity and security exchanges, among others.

The 3+X, using the letter X in math to represent the unknown, means China-ASEAN will touch many fields while focusing on three pillars - political security, economy and trade, and people-to-people exchange.

Li Keqiang said China-ASEAN cooperation will have more global substance and build a new exemplar for South-South cooperation.

Meanwhile, the Chinese premier said on Monday that China and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) will start consultations on the text of the Code of Conduct (COC) in the South China Sea.

China hopes that the COC could be adopted at an early date and could serve as a "stabilizer" of peace in the South China Sea, Li noted. And China, which has most of its freight of foreign trade passing through the South China Sea, wants peace and stability for that area more than any other country.

The Chinese premier said China is committed to maintaining peace and stability in the South China Sea and resolving territorial and maritime rights disputes with parties directly involved through negotiations and in a peaceful manner. Such a stance would never change.

Chinese Premier Li Keqiang (R) meets with New Zealand's Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern in Manila on November 13, 2017. [Photo: Xinhua/Liu Weibing]

Also on Monday, Li Keqiang meets with New Zealand's Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern on the sidelines of the East Asia leaders' meetings.

Li said that China stands ready to work with New Zealand to advance their talks on upgrading a bilateral free trade agreement (FTA).

Chinese Premier Li Keqiang (R) meets with Vietnamese Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc in Manila on November 13, 2017. [Photo: Xinhua/Rao Aimin]

Li Keqiang on Monday called on China and Vietnam to speed up the alignment of their development strategies during a meeting here with his Vietnamese counterpart Nguyen Xuan Phuc.

Li said the two countries should align their development strategies, referring to China-proposed Belt and Road Initiative and Vietnam's "Two Corridors and One Economic Circle" plan, so as to achieve a balanced trade between the increase of bilateral trade volume and the inclusive as well as diversified development.

He also expressed the hope that the related parties can jointly send positive signals of focusing on regional cooperation and safeguarding regional stability at a series of leaders' meetings on East Asian cooperation.

Chinese Premier Li Keqiang (R) meets with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe in Manila on November 13, 2017. [Photo: Xinhua/Rao Aimin]

On the sidelines of the 20th China-ASEAN (10+1) leaders' meeting, Li Keqiang met with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, and said Japan should make joint efforts with China to keep up the momentum for improvement in China-Japan relations.

This year marks the 45th anniversary of the normalization of China -Japan relations, and next year marks the 40th anniversary of the signing of the China-Japan Treaty of Peace and Friendship.

Li called on Japan to take history as a mirror and face towards the future, and work with China to overcome difficulties and challenges in the bilateral ties.

Chinese Premier Li Keqiang (R) meets with South Korean President Moon Jae-in in Manila on November 13, 2017. [Photo: Xinhua/Liu Weibing]

The Chinese premier also urged South Korea to continue making substantive efforts to remove obstacles in bilateral ties so as to ensure their sound and steady development, when he met with South Korean President Moon Jae-in on the sideline of a series of leaders' meetings on East Asian cooperation.

Li Keqiang said China and South Korea have reached some consensus in dealing with the issue of the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) in the current stage.

Chinese Premier Li Keqiang (R) meets with Cambodian Prime Minister Samdech Techo Hun Sen in Manila on November 13, 2017. [Photo: Xinhua/Rao Aimin]

In addition, Li Keqiang met with Cambodian Prime Minister Samdech Techo Hun Sen, and said China will, as always, firmly support Cambodia in pursuing a development path that suits its own conditions and support its efforts in safeguarding independence of sovereignty, maintaining stability, and speeding up economic development.

China stands ready to maintain high-level exchanges with the Cambodian side, strengthen pragmatic cooperation in various areas and promote people-to-people exchanges, Li noted.