This panoramic picture shows the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Post Ministerial Conference with India during the ASEAN Foreign Ministers' meeting in Jakarta on July 13, 2023. (PHOTO / AFP)
The individual dialogue partners of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) reaffirmed their support of the bloc’s role in safeguarding regional peace, security, and prosperity, following meetings reviewing their relationships over the last year.
ASEAN held meetings with several dialogue partners – China, India, New Zealand, Russia, Australia, Japan, South Korea, the United Kingdom, and Canada – during which ministers reviewed their relationships over the past year and pledged enhanced cooperation in the future. They also exchanged views on regional and international issues of common interest and concern.
During the meeting, Indonesian Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi said China has been ASEAN’s key partner for peace, stability and prosperity in the Indo-Pacific and their partnership continues to flourish and thrive
The meetings were also attended by Timor-Leste, which was granted observer status of the ASEAN in 2022.
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The meeting between ASEAN and China reviewed the progress of their 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.
Wang Yi, director of the Office of the Foreign Affairs Commission of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, attended the meeting.
During the meeting, Indonesian Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi said China has been ASEAN’s key partner for peace, stability and prosperity in the Indo-Pacific and their partnership continues to flourish and thrive.
Marsudi said several important milestones have been achieved this year, including progress made regarding the code of conduct (COC) in the South China Sea and commemorating the 20th year of China’s accession to the Treaty of Amity and Cooperation in Southeast Asia, or TAC.
Indonesia has hosted the meetings and the 56th ASEAN Foreign Ministers' Meeting in its role as the chair of ASEAN this year.
“For our region to grow stronger, we must work harder,” said Marsudi. “We want China to be a strong ASEAN partner in maintaining an open and inclusive regional architecture.”
At another dialogue meeting, Indian Foreign Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar said a strong and unified ASEAN plays an important role in the emerging dynamics of Asia and Pacific region. India firmly supports ASEAN centrality and the ASEAN Outlook on the region, he said.
Jaishankar’s comments came during the ASEAN Post Ministerial Conference with India in Jakarta on July 13, held on the sidelines of the 56th ASEAN Foreign Ministers' Meeting in the Indonesian capital.
At the conference, ministers adopted the Annex to the Plan of Action to Implement the ASEAN-India Partnership for Peace, Progress and Shared Prosperity (2021-2025) to ensure that the ASEAN-India comprehensive strategic partnership will be substantive, meaningful, and mutually beneficial.
The meeting also reaffirmed ASEAN and India’s commitment to further strengthen the relations in the coming years, according to the ASEAN website.
The meeting with New Zealand saw the adoption of the ASEAN-New Zealand Joint Statement on Cooperation on the ASEAN Outlook on the Indo-Pacific. “New Zealand places enormous value on our relationship with ASEAN as well as the opportunities our partnership brings to engage in dialogue on the issues that concern us,” said New Zealand Foreign Minister Nanaia Mahuta.
As comprehensive strategic partners, Australia and ASEAN have an ambitious program of cooperation to build a region resilient to many complex challenges, including climate change, health security, and transnational crime, said Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong.
“Deepening Australia’s engagement with Southeast Asia is a priority for our government because ASEAN security is Australia security and ASEAN success is our success,” Wong said.
The meeting with Japan was held in conjunction with the 50th Year of ASEAN-Japan Friendship and Cooperation this year. Japanese Minister for Foreign Affairs Hayashi Yoshimasa said this year is a golden opportunity for the two partners to pass on their longstanding friendship to the next generation.
Referring to the cooperation framework (Republic of) Korea-ASEAN Solidarity Initiative, South Korean Foreign Minister Park Jin said the initiative will place greater emphasis on strategic cooperation with ASEAN on political security area and will expand cooperation, esp in digital and smart infrastructure.
Josep Borrell, high representative of the European Union for foreign affairs and security policy, said the EU will continue to look at ASEAN for a clear and positive decision on this proposal this year.
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It will be “one which would see contacts between our leaderships on a regular basis to identify new areas of mutual interest and ensure that our two regions remain on-track with regards to our trade and development links”, said Borrell.
In the meeting with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, ASEAN and Russia agreed the importance of ASEAN centrality and unity in evolving regional architecture in the Asia-Pacific built upon ASEAN-led mechanisms with ASEAN as the driving force.
A meeting with the United States is scheduled on July 14.
Leonardus Jegho is a freelance journalist for China Daily.
Contact the writers at kelly@chinadailyapac.com