What positive signals are conveyed?, Wang Yi Attends Series of East Asian Cooperation Foreign Ministers' Meetings and Cooperation | Series | Foreign Ministers
The East Asian Cooperation Series Foreign Ministers' Meeting was recently held in Jakarta, Indonesia, with the attendance of Wang Yi, Director of the Central Foreign Affairs Office. After the meeting, unnamed Chinese officials conducted an inventory and believed that compared to previous years, this year's series of foreign ministers' meetings have released more positive signals.
One is a more peaceful atmosphere. The atmosphere of the China ASEAN Foreign Ministers' Meeting is friendly and harmonious, and the theme is more focused on practical cooperation. The 10 ASEAN countries generally attach great importance to building a growth center and prioritize development, which is highly in line with China's philosophy.Many foreign ministers stressed that the prosperity of ASEAN is closely linked to the development of China, and they are willing to jointly build the "the Belt and Road" with high quality. The meeting was filled with a harmonious atmosphere of the China ASEAN family, with no one raising any controversial issues from beginning to end.
At the 10+3 meeting, all parties also focused on regional cooperation and actively provided suggestions, injecting momentum into restarting cooperation between China, Japan, and South Korea.
At the Foreign Ministers' Meetings of the East Asian Summit and the ASEAN Regional Forum, which have had many conflicts in the past, all parties generally support ASEAN's central position and maintain an open and inclusive regional order. The ASEAN side emphasizes that the region must not become another game field, must unite and not be divided, and calls for no prejudice or malice, more listening and communication. The provocative statements made by certain countries were deemed inappropriate and were also rejected by the Chinese side on the spot based on reason and facts. Overall, there have been more discussions on dialogue, coordination, and mutually beneficial cooperation among all parties, with fewer instances of sharp points and mutual criticism.
Secondly, the achievements have become more prominent. The China ASEAN Foreign Ministers' Meeting has two major highlights.
Firstly, the Joint Declaration on Commemorating the 20th Anniversary of China's Accession was adopted. 20 years ago, China took the lead in deciding to join the TAC when other countries were hesitant and hesitant. This not only demonstrated China's long-standing advocacy for equality among all countries, but also demonstrated its importance and friendship towards ASEAN. The most important thing is that after China's accession, other major countries have adjusted their policies and also joined. So far, 51 countries have joined the TAC. The status of ASEAN has significantly improved, and it is highly praised for China's exemplary role.
Secondly, it was announced that the second reading of the Code of Conduct for the South China Sea has been successfully completed, and the guidance document on accelerating the achievement of the Code of Conduct for the South China Sea has been passed, creating conditions for the prompt launch of the third reading and taking an important step towards its ultimate achievement. Considering the impact of the pandemic in recent years and various interferences from external forces, this achievement has not been easy to come by. The ultimate achievement of the guidelines will enable China and ASEAN countries to have their own regional rules, which not only greatly enhances mutual trust and expands mutually beneficial cooperation, but also sends a clear signal to the outside world that China and ASEAN countries do not need any teachers. We have the ability and wisdom to work together to handle the South China Sea issue well, making the South China Sea a sea of peace, friendship, and cooperation.
Thirdly, interaction is more pragmatic. The Chinese delegation held more than ten bilateral meetings. The China US meeting has received high attention, and both sides believe that the meeting is frank, pragmatic, and constructive. ASEAN countries have been looking forward to more interaction between China and the United States, and they feel relieved about this. ASEAN and other Asian developing countries are also concerned about the internal and external policies after the 20th National Congress of the Communist Party of China, and expect Chinese path to modernization to bring more dividends to the region. The meetings between China, Japan, China and South Korea, China India, and China Europe have all sent positive signals, and the overall atmosphere is good. All countries have expressed their willingness to strengthen dialogue and deepen cooperation with China, which has also relieved those who were not optimistic about the East Asian series of meetings before.
