China ASEAN Photo: VCG

A series of major regional or global events are planned in Asian countries from this month until the end of the year, ushering in an Asian moment for their role in global governance, with the upcoming Lancang-Mekong Regional Meeting in Myanmar and the G20 foreign ministers’ meeting in Indonesia next week, as well as the G20 summit in Indonesia and the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) meeting in Thailand in November.

Experts said China would be ready to send strong signals of confidence to key neighbors and partners in the region to further boost economic recovery and safeguard Asia’s unity, peace and security in a struggling world. turbulence and challenges.

China also has its own important political event in the second half of this year, as the Communist Party of China (CCP) is set to convene its 20th National Congress to chart China’s development plan for the next stage, with analysts saying the China’s top leader, at the G20 summit and APEC meeting later this year, will also present China’s plan and proposals for the future to bring wisdom, solutions, hope and certainty not only in Asia but also in the world.

From July 3 to 14, Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi will chair the seventh Lancang-Mekong Cooperation Foreign Ministers’ Meeting in Myanmar and attend the G20 Foreign Ministers’ Meeting in Indonesia. , Foreign Ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian said on Friday.

On Sunday, Foreign Minister Wang and Myanmar Foreign Minister U Wunna Maung Lwin agreed to speed up the construction of the China-Myanmar Economic Corridor (CMEC), well implement the agreement on cross-border power grids , to guarantee the exploitation of China-Myanmar oil and gas pipelines, to explore “CMEC plus” cooperation in due course, and to raise the level of bilateral exchanges and commercial cooperation.

The two officials also exchanged views on Lancang-Mekong cooperation and China-ASEAN cooperation.

China firmly supports ASEAN’s centrality in the regional architecture and stands ready to work with ASEAN to steer East Asian cooperation in the right direction, Wang said.

Zhao said Wang will also pay official visits to Thailand, the Philippines, Indonesia and Malaysia and host the second meeting of the China-Indonesia high-level dialogue cooperation mechanism.

In addition, Wang will chair the 14th meeting of the China-Vietnam Steering Committee for Bilateral Cooperation and the sixth meeting of the China-Cambodia Intergovernmental Coordination Committee in Nanning, Guangxi, the spokesperson said.

China maintains frequent high-level diplomatic exchanges and communications with ASEAN members due to traditional friendship and close ties of win-win cooperation. In 2022, from the meeting of China-Singapore foreign ministers in February, to the visit to China by the foreign ministers of four ASEAN members (Indonesia, Thailand, the Philippines and Myanmar) at the end of March and April, and the Chinese Defense Minister Wei Fenghe’s latest visit to Singapore and his attendance at the Shangri-La Dialogue in June, China has always attached great importance to ties with ASEAN members.

Zhao said China and Southeast Asian countries are friendly neighbors. We are bound by mountains and rivers and share our future together. We are also important partners who share broad common interests and seek common development. At present, humanity’s pursuit of peace and development is facing strong headwinds from the combined impact of major changes and a pandemic not seen in a century, he said. added.

“In a world full of turmoil and change, China and Southeast Asian countries have worked hand in hand to meet the challenges, safeguard peace and stability in our region, and build this region into a of the most dynamic and promising development,” Zhao remarked. Friday.

Asian time

Asia, including China and ASEAN members, faces multiple challenges that require joint efforts. In addition to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Russian-Ukrainian crisis and US-led Western anti-Russian sanctions have profoundly disrupted global supply chains, market and economic order. The United States is trying to strengthen its influence in the region by exaggerating the conflicts and tensions, while Washington wants to engage in a great power competition against China for the region, and has tried to incite a confrontation of block by block in Asia using its regional influence. allies, experts say.

Thus, ASEAN, which prioritizes economic development, now faces serious challenges and desperately needs certainty, confidence and protection of its members’ economies. This will ensure that China-ASEAN relations will be even closer, as the two sides share a consensus on development and multilateralism, and the region has strong confidence in China’s development and a clear understanding of China’s national strength. China, analysts said.

Chen Xiangmiao, an assistant researcher at the National Institute for South China Sea Studies, said the United States would have no chance of interrupting ASEAN’s neutral and independent decision-making.

Spokesperson Zhao said, “Through this visit, China hopes to deepen strategic communication with the four Southeast Asian countries, work for high-quality Belt and Road cooperation, strive to build a peaceful, safe and secure, prosperous, beautiful and friendly home, inject new momentum into bilateral relations and foster new strengths, and give a good start to the China-ASEAN comprehensive strategic partnership.”

Analysts say the G20 foreign ministers’ meeting is for preparation and preliminary communication for the November G20 summit in Bali. This year’s summit will draw great attention from around the world as it will be the first major meeting of world leaders since the start of the Ukraine crisis. It is also the first major international event to invite Western leaders, the leaders of Russia and Ukraine, as well as leaders of other major non-Western economies with a neutral stance.

Wang Yiwei, director of the Institute of International Affairs at Renmin University of China, told the Global Times on Sunday that “a key mission of the G20 foreign ministers’ meeting is to prepare for leaders’ participation in the summit. . In 2022, the G20 and APEC meeting are expected to be held in Asia, and ASEAN will also hold its summit. China will also host the 20th CPC National Congress. This will certainly make the world focus its attention on Asia, so it is important for China to make the most of the opportunity to showcase its plans and initiatives for global recovery and global peace and security. »

The Chinese foreign minister will also hold talks and dialogues with ASEAN members on issues that share the two sides’ concerns. A key principle of China-ASEAN relations is to focus on economic development, another is the principle of non-interference, so on many sensitive issues, including the Myanmar issue, China will not be directly involved. On global hotspots that share both sides’ concerns, such as the South China Sea issue and the Ukraine crisis, China and ASEAN should address the issues through dialogue and coordination, Chen noted.

“There will therefore be at least two key signals sent by China to ASEAN via the visit of the Minister of Foreign Affairs. First, China’s policy towards ASEAN will continue to focus on economic cooperation to realize the region’s joint development, especially to manage the impact of the pandemic; second, to reaffirm China’s principle of peaceful development and that it does not intend to solve problems and disputes by force,” Chen said, adding that the United States and some of its allies are trying to spread unfounded concern and anxiety among ASEAN members who had disputes with China over sovereignty, Chen said.

Especially on the Ukrainian crisis, China and ASEAN do not want to see interventions by non-regional powers to make regional problems a global crisis; whether in economic or military terms, it would be detrimental to global economic recovery, said a Beijing-based international relations expert who requested anonymity.

The expert noted that “Chinese diplomacy in the second half of this year will enter the Asian moment. Asian countries will show the world that they have their own plan and wisdom to solve their own development and security problems.” .

Chen echoed and said that the reason why Indonesia, as the host of the G20 summit this year and a key power in the region and ASEAN, invited Russian President Vladimir Putin under great pressure of the West is that ASEAN and China share values ​​in upholding multilateralism. and resolve conflicts and differences through peaceful dialogue and the principle of non-interference.