Historical Background

ASEAN-China relations started in July 1991 when the Chinese Foreign Minister, H.E. Qian Qichen, attended the Opening Session of the 24th ASEAN Ministerial Meeting (AMM) in Kuala Lumpur as a guest of the Malaysian Government. At this Meeting, the Chinese side expressed its interest in strengthening cooperation with ASEAN for mutual benefit by identifying and developing specific fields of cooperation, particularly in science and technology. 

Since there was the invitation of the H.E. Mr. Tan Jiaxuan, former Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs of China, the Secretary-General of ASEAN, Dato’ Ajit Sing led a delegation to Beijing in September 1993. ASEAN and China agreed to set up two committees, namely economic and trade and cooperation in science and technology.

An Exchange of Letters between the Secretary-General of ASEAN and the Foreign Minister of China on 23 July 1994 in Bangkok, formalized the establishment of the above two committees. At the same time, ASEAN and China agreed to engage in consultations on political and security issues at the Senior Officials level. In the same year, China attended the First ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF) in Bangkok and became one of the founding members of this important forum.

In July 1996, China became a full Dialogue Parner of ASEAN, when the Vice Premier and Minister of Foreign Affairs of China attended the 29th AMM/PMC in Jakarta for the first time.

The year 2006 marked the 15th anniversary of ASEAN-China relations. An ASEAN-China Commemorative Summit was held on 30 October 2006 in Nanning, China during which a Joint Statement was signed by the Leaders. President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo co-chaired the meeting with Chinese Premier Wen Jia Bao.

ASEAN’s View of China

Political and Security Cooperation

ASEAN highly values China as the first Dialogue Partner of ASEAN to accede the Treaty of Amity and Cooperation (TAC) in Southeast Asia at the ASEAN-China Summit in Bali, Indonesia in October 2003. The accession of China to the TAC provides reassurance for peace and security in the region. 

ASEAN welcomes China’s intention to sign the Protocol to the Treaty of Southeast Asia Nuclear Weapon-Free Zone (SEANWFZ). China’s accession to SEANWFZ will further strengthen peace and security in the Asia-Pacific region as a whole.

ASEAN upholds the One-China Policy and believes that maintaining peace and stability across Taiwan Straights is in the interest of all countries in the region.

As for the Korean issue, ASEAN hopes that China would continue to play a leading role at the anticipated resumption of the Six-Party Talks, towards a peaceful and comprehensive solution to the nuclear issue on the Korean Peninsula.

Economic Cooperation

ASEAN is pleased that the process towards the establishment of the ASEAN-China Free Trade Area (FTA) is proceeding smoothly. Nonetheless, ASEAN would like all parties to complete internal procedures to begin tariff reduction under the Agreement on Trade in Goods, and exercise greater flexibility in order to conclude negotiations on trade in services and investment to move forward the ASEAN-China FTA.

ASEAN recognizes China as a full market economy and committed not to apply Section 15 and 16 of the Protocol of Accession of the People’s Republic of China to the WTO and Paragraph 242 of the report of the working Party on the Accession of China to WTO, in relation to the trade between each of the ten ASEAN Member Countries and China.

ASEAN would like to have market access for products from ASEAN Member Countries to Western part of China. ASEAN had suggested that China consider organizing a seminar to discuss about possible market access to the Western part of China. In return, ASEAN would like China to strongly encourage its business sector to invest in ASEAN.

ASEAN welcomes China’s initiative to provide another USD 5 billion of preferential loans to support projects invested by Chinese companies in ASEAN Member Countries, including the announcement by China that it would offer USD 10 billion of concessional loans and preferential export buyer’s credit to developing countries.

Development Cooperation

In the years to come, ASEAN would prefer that more specific projects be formulated in order to ensure smooth implementation of activities in the old five priority areas such as Agriculture, ICT, HRD, Mutual Investment, and Mekong Development under the ASEAN-China Plan of Action.

ASEAN is interested in cooperating with China in bridging the digital divide and narrowing the development gap. ASEAN hopes that the GMS information superhighway could be realized soon.

ASEAN and China should have better coordination and formulate more joint projects to be implemented under the five new priority areas, namely Transportation, Energy, Culture, Tourism and Public Health. 

ASEAN and China could look into the ASEAN-China EPG recommendations on energy such as regional cooperation on alternative and renewable energy resources, including biofuels, and oil stock-piling.

ASEAN and China could also cooperate in establishing joint laboratory testing centres for avian influenza, since currently there was only one centre in Hong Kong.

China’s View of ASEAN

Political and Security Cooperation

To promote peace and security, China supports ASEAN’s efforts in establishing the Southeast Asian Nuclear Weapons Free Zone (SEANWFZ). China is ready to sign the Protocol to accede the Treaty of SEANWFZ. China hopes that ASEAN could address its concerns with the other four Nuclear Weapons States.

On the South China Sea, China views the Declaration on the Conduct of the Parties (DoC) in the South China Sea as an important document, signifying the commitment of both sides to maintain stability in the region. Since the signing of the Declaration, China had repeatedly stressed that it attaches great importance to the implementation of the DoC, and is ready to launch cooperation in the SCS as soon as possible, starting from easy and least sensitive areas.

China is offering to train 900 law enforcement officers for ASEAN countries within the next three years, for further studies and training in the areas of criminal investigation techniques, narcotics control, criminal justice system and language learning. Twenty among them would enjoy a one-year full scholarship. 

China appreciates the contribution made by ASEAN in promoting the settlement of the Korean issue and supports a bigger role for ASEAN. In this connection, China is ready to make more efforts with all parties and continue to promote the talks. 

Economic Cooperation

China is considering how to implement the EPG recommendation on the establishment of the ASEAN-China Centre in Beijing, China.

To support an ASEAN Economic Community, China welcomes the signing of the ASEAN Framework Agreement on the Integration of Priority Sectors and the Protocols.

China implements a national policy of “Going Global” to encourage Chinese enterprises to invest abroad. ASEAN is one of the main destinations targeted for Chinese investment. China looks forward to seeing an increase of China’s investment in ASEAN in the near future. 

In relation to the ASEAN-China FTA, China would launch a study to formulate a medium-to-long term development strategic plan for ASEAN-China transport cooperation on infrastructure linkages and services. It wants a prompt conclusion of the regional maritime transport agreement and regional passenger and cargo air services arrangement.

To promote the energy cooperation, China is conducting a study to establish an ASEAN-China mechanism on energy and has preliminary contact and informal discussion with the ASEAN Secretariat and the ASEAN Centre for Energy. China proposes to cooperate with ASEAN on energy security, energy alternative and renewable energy, since these areas are in line with China’s national plan to reduce energy consumption.

Development Cooperation

The Chinese Government has pledged US$5 million to the ASEAN-China Cooperation Fund (ACCF) for five years (2005-2010) to implement the various activities and projects under the Plan of Action.

China would work closely with ASEAN in coming up with concrete joint projects to implement the Plan of Action and would continue supporting ASEAN integration efforts, and the implementation of the AP and the IAI. China is also contributing US$1 million to the ASEAN Development Fund (ADF) and another US$ 1 million for the IAI projects.

China attaches great importance to HRD. Since the establishment of the ACCF in 1997, the fund has supported 76 cooperation projects. Currently the relevant agencies of China are in the process of developing concrete projects/programmes for cooperation with ASEAN Member Countries.

China receives 3.74 million tourists from ASEAN, an increase of 25% over the previous year. Chinese nationals choose ASEAN Member Countries as their first stop destination, numbering 2.85 million in 2005, an increase of 3.6% compared to 2004.

The Chinese supports future cooperation on Youth, such as the holding of the ASEAN-China Ministerial Meetings on Youth on a regular basis, the deepening of the people-to-people exchanges between ASEAN and China youth by conducting various activities such as Youth Festival, Youth Forum, Summer Camp and Youth Entrepreneurs Symposium; the continuation of the ASEAN youth official training course in the Guangxi International Youth Exchange Institute; dispatching youth volunteers to ASEAN Member Countries; and the promotion of cooperation between ASEAN-China young entrepreneurs; and various exchanges programmes.