CHAIRMAN’S STATEMENT OF THE 15TH ASEAN-CHINA SUMMIT
PHNOM PENH, CAMBODIA, 19 NOVEMBER 2012
1. The 15th ASEAN-China Summit chaired by Samdech Akka Moha Sena Padei Techo HUN SEN, Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Cambodia, was held on 19 November 2012, in Phnom Penh, Cambodia. The Heads of State/Government of the Member States of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) had a substantive meeting with H.E. Wen Jiabao, Premier of the State Council of the People’s Republic of China (PRC).
2. We expressed our deepest sympathy and condolences to the people and the Royal Government of Cambodia and especially to His Majesty Preah Bat Samdech Preah BOROMNEATH NORODOM SIHAMONI, King of Cambodia and Her Majesty Queen Mother NORODOM MONINEATH SIHANOUK, for the passing away of His Majesty Preah Bat Samdech Preah NORODOM SIHANOUK, the late King-Father of Cambodia, on 15th October 2012. We shared our sadness of this great loss with the people of Cambodia during this mourning period. Cambodia expressed gratitude to the respective ASEAN Leaders and Premier of China for their share of condolences to His Majesty Preah Bat Samdech Preah NORODOM SIHAMONI, King of Cambodia, Her Majesty Queen Mother, the Royal Government of Cambodia and the people of Cambodia.
3. The ASEAN Leaders expressed sincere appreciation to H.E. Wen Jiabao for his active contribution to expanding and strengthening ASEAN-China Strategic Partnership. This has been his significant and invaluable personal contribution for the purpose of promoting peace, security, and stability in the region and for building close ties, friendship and cooperation between countries and peoples of ASEAN and China. The ASEAN Leaders also expressed optimism that ASEAN-China Strategic Partnership will continue to be further enhanced and deepened.
4. We acknowledged that ASEAN and China are dynamic and important strategic dialogue partners, significantly contributing to the development and the promotion of peace, stability and prosperity in the region. In this context, we reaffirmed our strong commitment to deepen our strategic partnership as well as enhance and expand our cooperation in all sectors, particularly in the eleven priority areas, namely agriculture, information and communicationtechnology, human resource development, mutual investment, Mekong development, transportation, energy, culture, tourism, public health and environment.
5. ASEAN Leaders welcomed the establishment of China’s Mission to ASEAN based in Jakarta and the appointment of the first resident Ambassador of China to ASEAN this year which is important for further promoting mutual communication and coordination as well as for advancing the ASEAN-China Strategic Partnership to a new height.
6. We noted with pleasure the significant progress made in the implementation of the Plan of Action for the period of 2011-2015 to implement the Joint Declaration on the ASEAN-China Strategic Partnership. We also reaffirmed our firm commitments and exerted efforts to ensure the full and effective implementation of various concrete projects and activities under the Plan of Action.
7. We underscored the significant importance of DOC as a historic document which reflects the collective commitment of ASEAN Member States and China to promote peace, stability, mutual trust and confidence in the South China Sea.
8. We reaffirmed our commitment to continue to effectively implement the DOC in full, to enhance maritime security, and to encourage the parties concerned to resolve territorial and jurisdictional disputes by peaceful means, in accordance with the universally recognized international law, including the 1982 UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).
9. We emphasized the importance of exercising self-restraint by all parties concerned in the conduct of activities which may complicate or escalate disputes and affect peace and stability in the region, and to resolve their differences peacefully.
10. We agreed to use the existing dialogue mechanisms between and among the ASEAN Member States and China at all levels to promote mutual trust and confidence. We agreed to enhance favorable conditions for a peaceful and durable solution of differences and disputes among the countries concerned.
11. We reaffirmed that ASEAN Connectivity is the first priority and fundamental in the development of an enhanced connectivity between ASEAN and the wider region, including ASEAN with China. ASEAN Leaders appreciated China’s support for the Master Plan on ASEAN Connectivity, in particular the additional US$10 billion credit, including US$4 billion preferential loans, to finance the infrastructure and related projects. We welcomed the convening of the First Meeting between ASEAN Connectivity Coordinating Committee (ACCC) and the Chinese Working Committee on Connectivity at the ASEAN Secretariat on 7 November 2012. We tasked the ACCC and the Chinese Working Committee on Connectivity to identify key areas for connectivity cooperation and work out a list of prioritised projects, and coordinate technical and financial resource mobilization from both ASEAN and China to better support financing for connectivity cooperation projects. ASEAN Leaders also looked forward to China’s continuing support for the implementation of the Initiative for ASEAN Integration (IAI) Work Plan II, which is important for the ASEAN community-building process.
12. We welcomed China’s proposal to set up of the China-ASEAN Maritime Cooperation Fund, with RMB3 billion, to provide financial support to ASEANChina cooperation in the areas of maritime scientific research, connectivity and navigation safety, particularly to implement agreed cooperative activities and projects within the DOC framework.
13. The Leader of China welcomed the adoption of the Declaration on Drug-Free ASEAN 2015 by the ASEAN Leaders at the 20th ASEAN Summit in Phnom Penh, in April 2012. The ASEAN Leaders looked forward to enhance cooperation with China to address the trafficking of illegal drug and narcotics.
14. We welcomed the adoption of the ASEAN Human Rights Declaration at the 21st ASEAN Summit in Phnom Penh on 18 November 2012 and emphasized our continuing support to realize an ASEAN Community based upon the adherence to the rule of law, democracy, promotion and protection of human rights and fundamental freedoms.
15. We also noted that in spite of the global economic difficulties, ASEAN-China economic relations continue to show encouraging developments. China continued to maintain its position as ASEAN’s largest trading partner since 2009, while ASEAN has now become China’s third largest trading partner, stepping from fourth place in 2010. ASEAN statistics showed that our bilateral trade raised by 20.9% from US$232 billion in 2010 to US$280.4 billion in 2011 and the foreign direct investment flow from China to ASEAN also had doubled from US$2.7 billion in 2010 to US$5.9 billion in 2011.
16. We reiterated our shared commitment to work closely to further deepen and expand our economic ties, including the timely implementation of agreements under the ASEAN-China Free Trade Area framework. Through this endeavor, we are strongly confident that our common goals to achieve our two-way trade volume of US$500 billion by 2015 will be realized in a balanced, sustained and mutually beneficial manner.
17. We welcomed the signing of two protocols: (1) the Third Protocol to Amend the Framework Agreement on Comprehensive Economic Cooperation between ASEAN and China, to provide the ASEAN-China Free Trade Agreement (ACFTA) Joint Committee (JC) a legal standing; and (2) the Protocol to Incorporate Technical Barriers to Trade and Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures into the Agreement on Trade in Goods of the Framework Agreement on Comprehensive Economic Cooperation between ASEAN and China, which will further facilitate, strengthen and promote our trade and economic cooperation and effectively eliminate technical barriers for trade between ASEAN and China.
18. We welcomed Hong Kong’s desire to join the ASEAN-China Free Trade Area, and took note of the findings of the study on the implications of Hong Kong’s Accession conducted by ASEAN. We tasked our ministers to expedite the domestic consultations and assessment of each individual member country. We need to ensure that the conclusion of Hong Kong would provide mutual benefits to all parties.
19. We recalled the official launch of the ASEAN-China Centre last year and welcomed the appointment of the first Secretary-General of this Centre as well as the successful convening of the First Meeting of the Joint Council of ASEAN-China Centre in Beijing, in May 2012. We also welcomed the commitments of Indonesia and Thailand to send their officials to serve in the position of Director of Education, Culture and Tourism Division, and Director of Information and Public Relations Unit at the ASEAN-China Centre in Beijing in the first semester of 2013, respectively. We expressed our strong confidence that the full operation of the centre would deeply advance our fmutual trade and investment, tourism, cultural exchanges and people-topeople contacts.
20. We congratulated the successful convening of the 9th China-ASEAN EXPO (CAEXPO), in Nanning, on 21-25 September 2012, which served as an international significant event and platform for economic and trade exchanges to further help promote the ASEAN-China FTA and providing opportunities for cooperation and development for both sides. We also noted with pleasure the fruitful outcome of the Forum on ASEAN-China Free Trade Area held in Nanning, China on 21 September 2012, which is conducive to the future implementation of ASEAN-China FTA.
21. We noted with satisfaction the signing of the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between the Governments of the Member States of the Association of the Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and the Government of the People’s Republic of China on Health Cooperation by Ministers of Health of ASEAN and China in Phuket, Thailand, on 6th July 2012, to promote ASEANChina health cooperation. In this regard, we tasked our ministers and senior officials to fully implement this MOU.
22. We commended China’s designation this year as the China-ASEAN Year of Cooperation in Science and Technology and the convening of the First ASEAN-China Science and Technology Ministers’ Meeting on 21 September 2012, at the 9th CAEXPO, particularly the launching of the ASEAN-China Science and Technology Partnership Program at that meeting. We tasked our relevant ministers to speed up their deliberations towards the early signing of the ASEAN-China Agreement on Science and Technology Cooperation.
23. We noted with appreciation the establishment of ten ASEAN-China Education and Training Centers in six provinces of China, which further contribute to the ASEAN Community building efforts and promote the solidarity, development and cooperation in the East Asia Region as well as to assist ASEAN’s efforts to promote socio-economic and human resources development.
24. ASEAN Leaders welcomed new initiatives proposed by China at this Summit to strengthen ASEAN-China cooperation in the political, economic and trade, connectivity, science and technology, cultural and people-to-people dimensions, including joint celebration of the 10th anniversary of ASEAN-China Strategic Partnership, establishing ASEAN-China Maritime Cooperation Partnership, continued implementation of the ASEAN-China Science and Technology Partnership Program, mapping out an overall plan for ASEAN-China connectivity, convening a ASEAN-China Forum on Tourism Cooperation, launching ASEAN-China Plan of Private Sectors Cooperation, launching ASEAN-China Think-Tank Network. ASEAN Leaders highly appreciated China’s decision to provide an additional US$ 5 million to the ASEAN-China Cooperation Fund to support wide-ranging cooperation between China and ASEAN Member States.
25. We welcomed Thailand as the Country Coordinator for ASEAN-China Dialogue Relations from July 2012 to July 2015. We looked forward to enhancing the multi-faceted cooperation and advancing the ASEAN-China strategic partnership.
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