China and ASEAN: working hand in hand towards 2030

Note: The following is an edited translation of a commentary from the Chinese-language "Commentaries on International Affairs."

At the 21st China-ASEAN (10+1) leaders' meeting in Singapore, China and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) adopted the China-ASEAN Strategic Partnership Vision 2030. When it entered into this partnership, China became the first country to formalize its medium and long-term plan for the development of bilateral relations with ASEAN. 

China and ASEAN hold a joint maritime exercise in the city of Zhanjiang in southern China on October 22, 2018. [Photo: VCG]

What’s the driving force behind this visionary plan? First of all, it’s driven by a shared expectation for, and confidence in, the future development of bilateral relations. Economic and trade cooperation has always been the cornerstone of relations between China and ASEAN. Since the two sides signed their comprehensive economic cooperation framework agreement in 2002, with the aim of setting up a free trade area by 2010, two-way trade reached 514.82 billion U.S. dollars, 6.6 times the figure recorded in 2002. China has been ASEAN’s largest trading partner for nine consecutive years, and ASEAN has been China’s third-largest trading partner for seven years. During this period, bilateral trade grew by about 18 percent a year, whereas the annual growth rate of ASEAN's foreign trade overall was only 7 percent.

ASEAN countries were extremely active participants at the China International Import Expo in Shanghai last week. More than 80 companies from Singapore took part, making the country the best represented among those in the bloc. Also at the expo, the Philippines received orders worth 124 million U.S. dollars. And after seeing that Malaysia’s frozen durian was a hit with Chinese consumers, Sim Tze Tzin, that country’s deputy minister of agriculture and agro-based industry, said he would push for fresh durian to be exported to China in the near future.

Another factor behind the creation of the new strategic partnership between China and ASEAN is that both sides are keen to defend free trade and multilateralism. Singapore’s Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong recently called on ASEAN countries to “become more integrated, and work resolutely towards this goal in a world where multilateralism is fraying under political pressures.” In its economic engagement with ASEAN nations, China has always acted in accordance with the principle of mutual benefit. It has opened its doors to ASEAN countries by helping to promote products from these countries in its domestic market. For instance, the annual China-ASEAN Expo in Nanning has helped bring many Southeast Asian products into China. In light of the different levels of economic development of ASEAN countries, China has also set up a slew of sub-regional cooperation frameworks with different countries, such as the Lancang-Mekong Cooperation Mechanism, in an attempt to bridge the gaps in their development.

China and ASEAN have also been working together to build the foundations of their long-term cooperation. Over the 15 years since China and ASEAN established their strategic relationship, cooperation in the areas of political dialogue, economics and trade, culture, and security has been moving forward despite the complications that have arisen at times in the international and regional environment. For example, on the South China Sea issue, both sides have voiced their opposition to external intervention, while actively developing a draft of the South China Sea Code of Conduct. And last month, China and ASEAN held a joint maritime exercise in the city of Zhanjiang in southern China, which is the first such exercise held by ASEAN with a single external country.

After adopting the China-ASEAN Strategic Partnership Vision 2030, China and ASEAN are expected to work towards bringing together China’s Belt and Road Initiative with ASEAN’s Community Vision 2025. In doing so, both sides have an opportunity to strengthen their cooperation in security, economic and trade, and people-to-people exchanges. The plan shows that ASEAN has confidence in China’s long-term development and ongoing opening-up, and is an acknowledgement of China’s role as a responsible regional power. By 2030, ASEAN is expected to be the host of the world’s fourth-largest economy. Maintaining and enhancing friendly relations between China and ASEAN will inject a sustained momentum into economic and social development in the region, and enable it to play a greater role in international and regional affairs.