Phnom Penh (FN), Nov. 22 – Cambodian prime minister Hun Sen shared four views at the ASEAN-China special summit to further strengthen ASEAN-China relations.
The premier spoke at the special summit to commemorate the 30th anniversary of ASEAN-China dialogue relations, held on Monday via videoconference.
The ASEAN Leaders and president Xi Jinping discussed the future direction, ways and means to further enhance ASEAN-China Relations, as well as exchange views on regional and international issues of common interest and concern.
“Over the past three decades, ASEAN-China has established close, united and fruitful relations, providing mutual benefits and contributing significantly to bringing about peace, stability, security, prosperity and sustainable and inclusive socio-economic development for both regions,” the prime minister underlined.
“As China has become one of the leading superpowers, and been playing increasingly many important roles in the region and the world, while ASEAN has been playing a progressively broader role, ASEAN-China relations will become even more important, crucial, meaningful and fruitful for both regions as well as the whole world, especially in revitalizing and boosting socio-economic growth in the context of COVID19.”
In the spirit of further strengthening ASEAN-China relations, premier shared four views as follows:
First, with the effective containment on the spread of COVID-19, Cambodia would like to congratulate China on its rapid recovery with a growth rate of approximately 9.8% during the first nine months of 2021. Cambodia would also like to thank and highly appreciate China for its active contribution to combating COVID19, revitalizing and boosting socio-economic growth in Cambodia, in the region and in the world.
Cambodia would also like to encourage China to continue providing assistances to ASEAN, especially by supporting the ASEAN Comprehensive Recovery Framework (ACRF) and initiatives to respond to COVID19. For the time being, Cambodia would like to encourage China to resume traveling between ASEAN-China to strengthen and promote tourism, air transport services, business activities, trade and investment.
Second, as for the future direction, Cambodia would like to encourage ASEAN-China to continue strengthening regional connectivity in line with the spirit of the ASEAN-China Joint Statement on Synergizing the Master Plan on ASEAN Connectivity (MPAC) 2025 and the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) to optimize the flows of goods, services and people. At the same time, in addition to the ASEAN-China Free Trade Agreement (ACTFA), ASEAN-China should further promote and pay more attention to the maximization of the benefits of the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) which will strengthen the foundation for long-term economic growth, and bring about mutual prosperity in line with the ASEAN-China Strategic Partnership Vision 2030.
Third, Cambodia supports the elevation of ASEAN-China relations to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership, and the adoption of the Joint Statement on the ASEAN-China Summit to commemorate the 30th Anniversary of the ASEAN-China Dialogue Relations. Cambodia also welcomes president Xi Jinping's global development initiative which will become a major support for developing countries in revitalizing the post-COVID19 socio-economic growth, and promoting human rights, through sustainable development and poverty reduction.
In this spirit, Cambodia hopes that this initiative will complement and support the ASEAN-China Comprehensive Strategic Partnership to be more meaningful, founded on an adherence to a mutually beneficial and practical cooperation.
Fourth, ASEAN-China should adopt a multilateral system to promote cooperation in all fields, and resolve all common regional and global challenges in a peaceful manner, and based on the spirit of mutual trust and confidence, with an aim of achieving peace, stability as well as good and fruitful cooperation in the region.
In this regard, Cambodia would like to support the initiative to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea (DOC) in 2022. Cambodia also highly appreciates the progress of the negotiations towards the completion of the Code of Conduct in the South China Sea (COC) with sufficient content and high efficiency.
=FRESH NEWS
