China urges EAS nations to strike a balance between growth, security
CHINESE Foreign Minister Wang Yi proposed three principles for the future development of the East Asia Summit in Singapore.
Wang made the proposal in a speech at the 8th foreign ministers’ meeting of the EAS on Saturday during which he praised the EAS’s positive contribution to regional peace, stability and development.
The first principle proposed by Wang is centering on East Asia. Wang said East Asia has already established a regional cooperation framework with the Association of Southeast Asian Nations at the center and EAS an important component.
In the future, EAS countries should uphold the spirit of mutual respect, consensus-building, openness and inclusiveness, continue to focus on the Asia-Pacific, East Asia and safeguard the central role of ASEAN in regional cooperation, he said.
The second principle is striking a balance between socio-economic development and politico-security cooperation. Wang said development stands out to be the most important and prevailing concern for the countries in the region as well as the strongest driving force in the regional cooperation.
Politico-security cooperation should aim at providing a peaceful and stable environment for the development and forging a regional security framework which accords with the actual circumstances of the region and meets the needs of all parties, he added.
The third principle is coordinating strategic communication and pragmatic cooperation. While engaging in strategic communication on global and regional issues of common concern, all parties should make concerted efforts to push forward regional cooperation in vital areas, so as to provide solid support for EAS development, Wang added.
He also called for the building of East Asia economic community and an open world economy.
Currently, with twists and turns in economic globalization and surge of unilateralism and protectionism, the international order and multilateral trade system have been adversely affected, Wang said.
He called on ASEAN and China, Japan and South Korea (10+3) countries to demonstrate strong will to promote free trade and firm resolution to uphold multilateralism, firmly push forward regional economic integration and build an East Asia economic community as well as an open world economy.
Such efforts will provide more stability and certainty to the world economy, the top Chinese diplomat stressed.
Wang also called for substantive progress to be made in the negotiations on the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership by the year end and an East Asian pattern of development to be forged, which is free, balanced, inclusive and beneficial to all.
The 10+3 countries should also deepen financial cooperation, continue to improve regional financial security network, make good use of the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank and the Asian Development Bank so as tolendmorecost-effectivefinancial support to countries in the region, he said.
The 10+3 countries should expand sectors of cooperation, including boosting cooperation on innovation and pressing for new cooperation in the fields of digital economy, smart city, artificial intelligence and e-commerce among others, Wang said.
Noting that the 10+3 countries should also build new platforms for people-to-people exchanges, Wang said China proposes to set up a “10+3 cultural cities network,” enhance the capability building of the think-tanks network in East Asia, and promote cultural ties and people’s friendship among East Asian countries.
Foreign ministers from Japan, South Korea and ASEAN member states all spoke highly of the fruitful achievements of cooperation scored within the framework of the “10+3” and affirmed the positive role the “10+3” has played in promoting regional peace, stability and prosperity.
They all shared the view that faced with the shock and threat to the multilateral trade system brought by unilateral protectionism, it is more important than ever to enhance the cooperation of the “10+3.”
They agreed that the “10+3” should consolidate unity, firmly support free trade, and oppose protectionism.