Partnership for prosperity

Of course, trade and aid alone will not guarantee a China-ASEAN community of enduring prosperity and stability; that also requires the shared shouldering of the responsibility to tackle regional security-related issues, especially the territorial disputes in the South China Sea.

China acceded to the Treaty of Amity and Cooperation in Southeast Asia more than 11 years ago, and it has remained committed to strategic dialogue and continually shown restraint over sovereignty related tensions. China believes that full and effective implementation of the Declaration of the Conduct of the Parties in the South China Sea is the best way to maintain peace and stability in the South China Sea, and it hopes that all parties will conduct practical cooperation within the framework of DOC and push for the early conclusion of a code of conduct of the parties in the South China Sea on the basis of consensus. A code of conduct, if jointly signed and recognized, would serve as an institutional framework and legal guarantee for peaceful co-existence between the two sides in the years to come.

At present, ASEAN and China are actively pushing forward the signing of a treaty on good-neighborliness and friendly cooperation. This would require all the signatories to equally bear responsibility for regional development and to abide by all mutually agreed principles.

During his time in Myanmar, Li also sought to deepen China-ASEAN cooperation on non-traditional security issues. Li stated that China stands ready to work with others in the region to address non-traditional security issues including terrorism, infectious diseases, climate change and disaster management. China agreed to establish a hotline for joint search and rescue efforts at sea, and seek more dialogue with the maritime law enforcement bodies of ASEAN members. These moves signify new efforts by China and ASEAN to safeguard regional stability, and they will help further stabilize bilateral ties in the future.

Admittedly, a China-ASEAN community of shared destiny in Southeast Asia is still far from being realized, but initiatives such as those proposed by Li in Myanmar and the efforts of both sides can ensure that it becomes a reality sooner rather than later.

The author is a researcher in Southeast Asian studies with the China Institute of Contemporary International Relations.