Hailing it as a “timely and significant strategic communication”, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi believed the Special China-ASEAN Foreign Ministers’ Meeting held on Tuesday has expanded the consensus between China and ASEAN.

The meeting, held ahead of the 25th anniversary of China-ASEAN dialogue relations, was the first of its kind in three years.

“The meeting delivered the voice of China and ASEAN members to commit to regional peace and stability”, Wang said in a press conference after the meeting.

“The dialogue ties have boosted respective economic and social development, East Asian cooperation, as well as peace, stability and prosperity in the entire region,” he added.

The Chinese Foreign Minister called on all parties to focus on win-win cooperation, manage differences and eliminate distractions.

“In China-ASEAN relations, our cooperation far outweighs disputes, opportunities triumph challenges and solidarity goes way beyond friction,” he said.

The ultimate goal for China and ASEAN countries is to forge a closer community now that the interests of both sides are highly-intertwined, explained Wang.

To ensure a healthy development of China-ASEAN relations, China proposed both sides to reinforce strategic communication, and deepen political mutual trust, according to the Minister, suggesting an early signing of the Treaty of Good-neighborliness and Friendly Cooperation between China and ASEAN countries.

“We should support the Lancang-Mekong cooperation mechanism, narrow down internal development gaps and prioritize education and tourism in cultural cooperation,” said Wang.

The minister added that China, affirming the significance of building the ASEAN community, supports the ASEAN integration process, backs the central role of ASEAN in regional cooperation and encourages ASEAN to play a bigger role in international and regional affairs.

“Complex and sensitive issues should be resolved through friendly negotiations,” he stressed.

Wang also pledged that China will devote concerted efforts along with ASEAN countries to ensure the success of the commemorative summit marking the 25th anniversary of the dialogue relations to be held in Laos this September.

Reaffirming the necessity to jointly safeguard maritime peace and stability, top diplomats from the 11 nations also reiterated the proper handling of the South China Sea issue and preventing it from disrupting China-ASEAN cooperation.

They also reiterated the importance to implement the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea (DOC), and called for an early completion of the Code of Conduct in the South China Sea (COC). Article 4 of the DOC stipulates that disputes should be resolved peacefully through friendly consultation and negotiation by sovereign states directly concerned.

According to Wang, the ministers also recognized the progress scored by the recently-concluded senior officials meeting on the implementation of the DOC held in Vietnam, where officials agreed to speed up their efforts in issuing a joint statement on the implementation of the DOC and implement the advice from consultations on the COC.

That advice includes accelerating the formulation of guidelines on a senior foreign official hotline on emergencies between China and ASEAN nations.

(People’s Daily)