Beijing holds summit with diplomats from Southeast Asian nations

Beijing holds summit with diplomats from Southeast Asian nations

China’s chief international advisor Wang Yi held a summit on Thursday with international ministers of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) in Indonesia and mentioned cooperation between Beijing and member nations.

“The meeting reviewed the progress of ASEAN-China cooperation and discussed its future direction, particularly the ways to advance the ASEAN-China Comprehensive Strategic Partnership through the implementation of the Plan of Action 2021-2025 and its Annex,” mentioned in an announcement issued by the ASEAN secretariat.

“The meeting also exchanged views on regional and international issues of common interest and concern,” it added.

Wang, who served as international minister for practically a decade earlier than being appointed director of the Communist Party’s Central Committee Foreign Affairs Commission in January, arrived in Indonesia’s capital Jakarta to attend a collection of conferences on the sideline of the ASEAN summit.

China and ASEAN ought to pace up their negotiations on the Free Trade Area (FTA) to reinforce commerce between Beijing and ASEAN member nations, Wang mentioned on Wednesday.

Speaking on the assembly, Indonesia’s Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi welcomed Wang to Jakarta and mentioned Beijing had been a important companion of ASEAN during the last three a long time.

“Economically, we are each other’s largest trading partner with total trade of $975 billion,” mentioned Marsudi, in keeping with a transcript launched by the Foreign Ministry.

“China is the 4th largest source of FDI for ASEAN, valued at $13.8 billion in 2021,” she added.

Indonesia, the present chair of ASEAN, hosted the bloc’s high diplomats for the 56th common assembly.

According to media reviews, Wang can be anticipated to fulfill US Secretary of State Antony Blinken in Jakarta.

Japanese Foreign Minister Yoshimasa Hayashi will meet together with his ASEAN counterpart in Jakarta to debate the particular summit commemorating their 50 years of friendship later this yr in Tokyo, mentioned a Japanese authorities official as cited by Tokyo-based Kyodo News.

He is predicted to debate the scenario within the East and South China Seas, together with North Korean missiles and nuclear actions, and meet together with his South Korean counterpart in Jakarta.

Source: www.anews.com.tr