Center stage

ASEAN and China should continue to uphold true multilateralism and open regionalism amid fast-changing global landscape

There are opportunities and challenges for ASEAN-China relations against the backdrop of the current international and regional situation. The friendship between China and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations countries and the remarkable progress made over the past more than 30 years contributed to the peace, prosperity and sustainable development of the region. While the future of their bilateral relations remains bright, ASEAN-China relations still face certain challenges in the fast-changing global landscape.

First, the international power dynamics are undergoing profound changes. While the current international order faces significant challenges in addressing current global issues, emerging economies are becoming more prominent in global power dynamics. The anti-globalization trend is still on the rise, unilateralism is increasing, geopolitical confrontations are prolonged, and global issues are intensifying.

Second, the regional economy is facing growing risks. This is due to the rising trade tensions, further moves toward protectionism and carbon pricing on imports. The implementation of mercantilist and domestic-orientated policies by the Donald Trump administration, especially the tariff hikes, has posed challenges to the trade-dependent regional architecture of Southeast Asia.

Third, regional development is facing the implications of extraterritorial factors. The ongoing effort initiated by certain countries for "decoupling" and "de-risking" from China is putting more pressure on many ASEAN member states to take sides. The risk of global fragmentation in many areas could bring severe ramifications for the regional development.

Nevertheless, China and ASEAN can play a positive role in maintaining regional and world peace and development with concerted efforts. The ASEAN-China relationship has gone far beyond the bilateral sphere and has assumed great significance for Asia and the world at large. We can respond to global uncertainty with regional certainty of solidarity. We can respond to the international economic slowdown with regional economic prosperity. And we can respond to a disordered world with a just and equitable international order.

Next year marks the fifth anniversary of the establishment of the ASEAN-China Comprehensive Strategic Partnership. There is an old saying in Southeast Asia that the lotus flowers grow taller as the water rises. In this era of increasing uncertainties and instabilities in the global landscape, it is even more important to maintain the momentum of sound and sustainable development of ASEAN-China relations.

Over the past 30 years, ASEAN and China have helped each other to weather two financial crises, the SARS pandemic and the Indian Ocean tsunami, and confronted the COVID-19 pandemic by coming to each other's aid, demonstrating the spirit of fraternity and sense of community with a shared future. Earlier this month, the Sultan of Brunei and prime minister of Thailand paid visits to China. Brunei became the eighth ASEAN country which has reached consensus on building a community with a shared future with China, while Thailand and China have agreed to further advance their comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership and build a China-Thailand community with a shared future for enhanced stability, prosperity and sustainability.

The two sides are taking new and solid steps toward building a closer ASEAN-China community with a shared future. As important members of the Global South, China and the ASEAN member states share broad common interests and similar positions in international affairs. They share the desire for a peaceful international environment to promote people-centered sustainable development, proactively strengthening the synergy of their development strategies and jointly uphold multilateralism and open regionalism. The two sides should continue to steadfastly support an ASEAN-centered, open and inclusive regional architecture, pursue a path of regional security governance with broad consultation and joint contribution for common benefit, and enhance vigilance and firm preemption against actions that undermine regional stability and increase the risk of conflict, so as to protect their fundamental shared interest in peace and stability, and make Asia an anchor of world peace.

With one-fourth of the world's population and accounting for more than 20 percent of the global GDP, ASEAN and China share common development goals. Nowadays, ASEAN is working on the ASEAN Community's Post-2025 Vision toward a people-centered and more sustainable ASEAN community, while China has embarked on a new journey to realize modernization with the Chinese characteristics. In addition to industrial complementarity, China and ASEAN share the common pursuit of industrial upgrading, digital transformation and green development.

ASEAN-China economic and trade cooperation has entered a new phase of high-standard and high-quality connectivity with the substantial conclusion of the ASEAN-China Free Trade Area 3.0 and the adoption of the "ASEAN Plus Three Leaders' Statement on Strengthening the Connectivity of Regional Supply Chains" last year. Bilateral cooperation in emerging areas and frontier industries, such as digital, intelligent and green technologies, will definitely be conducive to nurturing new economic growth points and will inject fresh vitality into the regional and global economy. According to a report of Boston Consulting Group, ASEAN's trade with China is expected to grow 5.6 percent annually to hit $558 billion in 2033. China's high-quality development through high-standard opening up will offer vast opportunities for the modernization of regional countries.

The Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence and the Bandung Spirit have laid a solid foundation for ASEAN countries and China to treat each other as equals, deepen mutual trust, and safeguard regional and global peace, stability and development. Recognizing that the ASEAN countries and China have unique political, social, religious and cultural characteristics, the two sides have always respected each other's development paths, accommodate each other's concerns and overcome differences and difficulties as a united team. China has always supported ASEAN's centrality and endorsed the advancement of regional cooperation in the "ASEAN Way".

In conclusion, ASEAN and China should continue to uphold true multilateralism and open regionalism, make joint efforts to promote an equal and orderly multipolar world, and build a new type of international relations and a path of security that chooses dialogue over confrontation, partnerships over alliances, and win-win cooperation over zero-sum games, so as to generate more positive energy for their friendship and solidarity in an increasingly fragmented world.

The author is secretary general of the ASEAN-China Centre. The author contributed this article to China Watch, a think tank powered by China Daily.

The views do not necessarily reflect those of China Daily.

Contact the editor at editor@chinawatch.cn.