China, ASEAN agree to strengthen cooperation ahead of Premier Li's visit

Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi and ASEAN ambassadors to China meet on cooperation ahead of Chinese Premier Li Keqiang's visit, Beijing, China, October 29, 2019. /Photo via Chinese Foreign Ministry

Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi on Tuesday met with ambassadors of the 10 ASEAN member states to China in Beijing.

China and ASEAN countries should jointly address challenges, work together to uphold multilateralism, and coordinate to maintain regional peace, suggested Wang. 
ASEAN is willing to maintain close communication and cooperation with China to ensure the success of this year's East Asian leaders' meeting on cooperation, the ambassadors pledged.

The two sides agreed to strengthen the synergy between the Belt and Road Initiative and the Master Plan on ASEAN Connectivity 2025, explore ways to develop a "blue economic partnership," strengthen cooperation in the digital economy and other fields, further deepen people-to-people exchanges, strive to conclude the negotiation of the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) within the year, and uphold multilateralism and free trade. 

Chinese Premier Li Keqiang will attend the 22nd China-ASEAN leaders' meeting, the 22nd ASEAN-China, Japan and Republic of Korea leaders' meeting, and the 14th East Asia Summit in Bangkok early next month. 

Founded in 1967, the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) comprises Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam.

Editor: John Li