ASEAN Press

Category: Politics

  • China announces the territorial sea baseline of Huangyan Island in the South China Sea

    On November 10, the Chinese government issued a statement on the territorial sea baseline of Huangyan Island, announcing the territorial sea baseline of Huangyan Island of the People’s Republic of China.

    First, clarify rights

    Drawing the baseline for Huangyan Island is China’s exercise and demonstration of sovereignty over Huangyan Island. After the territorial sea baseline is drawn, the scope of China’s maritime rights claim in Huangyan Island is clarified.

    According to the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, the marine area includes internal waters, territorial waters, contiguous zones, exclusive economic zones and continental shelves. Determining the boundaries and scope of these areas is related to the territorial sea baseline.

    Second, safeguarding rights and interests

    Philippine President Marcos signed the so-called Philippine “Maritime Zones Act” and “Archipelago Sea Lanes Act”. The former is based on the illegal ruling of the South China Sea arbitration case, and illegally included China’s Huangyan Island and most of the islands and reefs of the Nansha Islands and related waters into the Philippine marine area.

    The announcement of the territorial sea baseline of Huangyan Island this time is only the first step. Whether the territorial sea baseline is drawn all at once, or in steps, regions, or stages, international law does not clearly stipulate.

  • China, Japan, South Korea and ASEAN promote food security

    At the ASEAN + China, Japan and South Korea (10+3) Foreign Ministers’ Meeting held on the 27th, the participating countries agreed to apply the “Chiang Mai Initiative” mechanism to natural disasters and negotiated in the field of promoting food security. According to the website of Japan Television, during the meeting, the Japanese Foreign Minister said: “I hope to have good communication with China and South Korea to respond to ASEAN’s expectations.”

    The official website of the Japanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs shows that China, Japan and South Korea all expressed their hope to continue to promote cooperation between ASEAN and China, Japan and South Korea (10+3) and emphasized the importance of deepening cooperation. The three countries also issued statements on priority cooperation areas such as health, food security, financial cooperation, green transformation and digital transformation.

    A visiting researcher at the Japan Research Center of Liaoning University told the Global Times on the 28th that Japan is expected to strengthen cooperation with ASEAN countries in the fields of finance and food security. The Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry of Japan stated at the beginning of this year that Japan and ASEAN have started negotiations on the realization of cross-border QR code payment interconnection and interoperability cooperation in 2025. This move is not only to facilitate mutual visits of tourists, but also to strengthen financial ties with ASEAN countries.

    However, researchers believe that Japan’s strengthening of cooperation with ASEAN also has its own agenda, hoping to win over ASEAN and compete with China for influence over ASEAN.

  • Statement on Strengthening Cooperation in Humanitarian Mine Clearance between China and ASEAN

    Joint Statement of China-ASEAN Foreign Ministers on Strengthening Humanitarian Mine Clearance Cooperation

    We, the People’s Republic of China and the member states of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), gathered in Vientiane, Laos on July 26, 2024, to attend the China-ASEAN Foreign Ministers’ Meeting;

    Deploring the large number of civilian casualties caused by mines and other explosive remnants of war in the region, and recognizing that they pose a serious threat to people’s security and economic and social development;

    Appreciating the great efforts and great achievements made by ASEAN countries affected by mines and other explosive remnants of war in the field of mine clearance in recent years;

    Noting that many ASEAN countries are still in the process of clearing the threat of mines and other explosive remnants of war

    The ASEAN Regional Mine Action Centre (ARMAC) has been recognized for its role in promoting ASEAN’s efforts to address the problems of mines and other explosive remnants of war for willing ASEAN countries and raising awareness of the dangers of the problem among the affected population;

    Also recognized that strengthening cooperation in mine clearance is essential to maintaining peace, security, stability, prosperity and sustainable development in the region;

    Appreciated China’s cooperation in mine clearance since 1998 The valuable support provided to relevant ASEAN countries and the ASEAN Regional Mine Action Centre affected by mines and other explosive remnants of war since 2015 demonstrates the friendship and cooperation between China and ASEAN, and notes China’s vision of building a peaceful, tranquil, prosperous, beautiful and friendly home in the region;

    Reaffirming the commitment to the Joint Statement of the China-ASEAN Summit to Commemorate the 30th Anniversary of the Establishment of Dialogue Relations – Comprehensive Strategic Partnership for Peace, Security, Prosperity and Sustainable Development, the Action Plan for the Implementation of the Joint Declaration on the China-ASEAN Strategic Partnership for Peace and Prosperity (2021-2025), and the China-ASEAN Comprehensive Strategic Partnership. ASEAN-China Partnership Action Plan (2022-2025) and other important documents, strengthen bilateral cooperation and promote the development of China-ASEAN relations;

    In view of this, we:

    1. Emphasize the importance of humanitarian mine clearance operations, raise public awareness of the hazards of mines and other explosive remnants of war, accelerate the restoration of land contaminated by residues, provide appropriate medical and rehabilitation assistance to victims, and enable people to return home with dignity, peace and security;

    2. Integrate humanitarian mine clearance operations into the region’s sustainable development agenda, promote regional and cross-border cooperation and resource mobilization, including exploring various financial instruments for mine clearance operations and promoting efficient use of resources;

    3. Optimize existing mechanisms such as the ASEAN Defense Ministers’ Meeting Plus Humanitarian Mine Action Expert Group, carry out more practical cooperation in personnel training, standard setting, joint exercises, etc., and enhance the mine clearance capabilities of ASEAN countries;

    4. Support the work of the ASEAN Regional Mine Action Center, including promoting mine clearance technical cooperation to further reduce the risk of casualties, promote innovation, improve the effectiveness of mine clearance operations, hold regional high-level meetings and technical working group meetings, encourage all stakeholders to actively participate, and promote experience exchange and results sharing;

    5. Strengthen cooperation with UN Mine Action Service, UNDP and other UN agencies, actively explore South-South cooperation and trilateral cooperation, and call on all parties to increase support for ASEAN countries affected by mines and other explosive remnants of war through channels including the ASEAN Regional Mine Action Center;

    6. Strengthen communication and coordination between China and ASEAN countries at the United Nations, promote mine clearance cooperation, and contribute to maintaining peace, security, stability, development and prosperity in the region and the world.

    中国一东盟外长关于加强人道主义扫雷合作的联合声明中文原文：

    鉴此，我们：
    1.强调人道主义扫雷行动重要性，提高民众对地雷和其他战争遗留爆炸物危害认知，加快恢复受残留物污染的土地，为受害者提供适当医疗和康复援助，使民众能够有尊严、平安和安全地重返家园；
    2.将人道主义扫雷行动融入本地区可持续发展议程，推进区域、跨境合作及资源调动，包括探索扫雷行动的各种金融工具，促进资源高效利用；
    3. 优化东盟防长扩大会人道主义扫雷行动专家组等现有机制，在人员培训、标准制定、联合演练等方面开展更多务实合作，提升东盟国家扫雷能力；
    4.支持东盟区域地雷行动中心工作，包括推进扫雷技术合作以进一步减少人员伤亡风险，促进创新，提高扫雷行动有效性，举办区域高级别会议和技术工作组会，鼓励各利益攸关方积极参与，促进经验交流与成果分享；
    5.加强与联合国地雷行动处、联合国开发计划署等联合国机构合作，积极探索南南合作、三方合作，呼吁各方通过包括东盟区域地雷行动中心等渠道，加大对受地雷和其他战争遗留爆炸物影响的东盟国家支持；
    6.加强中国与东盟国家在联合国的沟通协调，推动扫雷合作，为维护本地区和世界的和平、安全、稳定、发展和繁荣作出贡献。

  • China-ASEAN Foreign Ministers’ Meeting held in Vientiane

    On July 26, 2024, local time, the China-ASEAN Foreign Ministers’ Meeting was held in Vientiane, Laos. Wang Yi, member of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and Foreign Minister, co-chaired the meeting with the representative of the coordinating country for China-ASEAN relations. Foreign ministers of ASEAN countries and the Secretary-General of ASEAN attended the meeting.

    Wang Yi said that this year marks the 70th anniversary of the publication of the Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence. The “Bandung Spirit” and “ASEAN Way” advocated by ASEAN are highly consistent with the Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence.

    Wang Yi said that China and ASEAN are friendly neighbors who help each other, close partners who share weal and woe, and a community of shared destiny.

    In recent years, the construction of the China-ASEAN community of shared destiny has taken solid steps and achieved fruitful results, benefiting 2 billion people on both sides and effectively promoting common development. The economic and trade ties between the two sides are becoming increasingly close, cultural exchanges are recovering rapidly, connectivity is deepening and solid, and new driving forces are constantly emerging.

    The Third Plenary Session of the 20th CPC Central Committee made an overall deployment for further deepening reform in an all-round way around promoting Chinese-style modernization.

    Chinese-style modernization will open up broader and brighter prospects in reform and opening up, and bring new opportunities to countries around the world, especially neighboring countries such as ASEAN.

    Especially under the catalysis of new quality productivity, China’s super-large market potential is continuously released, and the economy maintains a long-term positive trend, which will continue to provide strong impetus for global and regional growth.

    We are willing to share China’s opportunities with ASEAN countries, support all countries to embark on a successful modernization path that conforms to their national conditions and historical and cultural characteristics, and work together to promote the modernization process in Asia.

    The meeting adopted the “Joint Statement of China-ASEAN Foreign Ministers on Strengthening Humanitarian Mine Clearance Cooperation”, which will inject new impetus into the construction of a “mine-free ASEAN”.

  • The fifth round of negotiations on version 3.0 of the China-Asean Free Trade Area opened

    On January 31, Wang Shouwen, international trade representative (minister-level) and Vice Minister of the Ministry of Commerce, delivered a speech at the opening ceremony of the fifth round of negotiations on the 3.0 version of China-Asean Free Trade Area in Hangzhou, Zhejiang province. Earlier, Wang Shouwen held small-scale talks with the heads of delegations of ASEAN countries and the ASEAN Secretariat.

    Over the past three years, bilateral trade and investment between China and ASEAN have bucked the trend and remained each other’s largest trading partner. We are each other’s important source and destination of investment. We have shown great potential for cooperation in emerging areas and are each other’s important development opportunities. At present, the two sides are making full efforts to promote the 3.0 negotiations in various fields and upgrade the construction of the free trade area, and will further tap the opportunities for bilateral cooperation, improve the quality and level of cooperation, so that countries, enterprises and people in the region can obtain more tangible benefits.

    Wang said that China is willing to work with all ASEAN parties to complete negotiations as soon as possible in accordance with the instructions of the leaders, further upgrade the level of trade and investment liberalization on the basis of the existing China-Asean Free Trade Agreement and the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP), and expand practical cooperation in emerging areas such as intermediate goods trade, digital trade, cross-border e-commerce, standards, green and low-carbon trade. We will build a higher-level China-Asean Free Trade area, create broader space for regional development, and build a closer China-Asean community of shared future.

    The fifth round of negotiations on version 3.0 of the China-Asean Free Trade Area was held from January 29 to February 2, attended by nearly 400 officials from the competent authorities of China, 10 ASEAN countries and the ASEAN Secretariat.