ASEAN, China to rebuildtrust, confidence in region
Tama Salim
THE JAKAPTA POST/VIENTIANE
A commemorative summit celebrating 25 years of ASEAN-Chinese relations yielded results on Wednesday indicating that all parties are willing to move on from the escalation of tensions in recent months and focus on rebuilding trust and confidence in the region.
Indonesian Foreign Minister Retno LP Marsudi said the 19th ASEAN-China Summit in Laos produced, among other things, two outcome documents a Joint Statement on the Application of the Codewill contribute greatly to peace and security," he said.
Meanwhile, a statement adopted by leaders of ASEAN and China on Wednesday showed that ASEAN centrality and unity prevails amid fears the region might become prone to power projection.
"We reaffirm our respect for and
Conversely, in a move that many consider benefits Beijing, The Hague ruling was not mentioned in the ASEAN-China joint statement It was also not raised during the summit an ASEAN delegation has said.
Indonesia, as a country that has consistently promoted self-restraint in the region, has called on ASEAN leaders and Chinese Premier Li Keqiang to leverage the two partners" good relations and contribute to maintaining regional peace and stability.
"The partnership between ASEAN and China must I stress, be able to con t ribu te to peace [.] to stability [...] and to security in the South China Sea," Jokowi said during the ASEAN-China Summit
"All parties must exercise self-restraint and undertake to resolve disputes by peaceful means."
Jokowi reiterated the importance of pushing for the full and effective implementation of the DOC in the South China Sea so that the region would not be the target of power projection by nations with interests in the region.
In the statement the leaders also expressed their commitment to further deepening and expanding mutually beneficial economic cooperation through the implementation of the ASEAN-China Free Trade Area, and working toward the early and successful conclusion of a modern, comprehensive, high quality and mutually beneficial Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership agreementfor Unplanned Encounters at Sea (CUES) in the South China Sea, and the Guidelines for Hotline Communications among Senior Officials of the Ministries of Foreign Affairs of ASEAN Member States and China in Response to Maritime Emergencies in the Implementation of the Declaration of Conduct (DOC).
"Our hope is that the [implementation of) CUES and the hotline will make the situation in the South China Sea more conducive and manageable," Retno told reporters after the summit For the hotline, Retno has appointed the ministrys director general forEAN cooperation, Jose Tavares, as Indonesias point of contact.
Jose told reporters that both documents were effective immediately, and that the Indonesian delegation had called for a follow-up meeting of ASEAN senior officials for implementation on the ground, although he did not specify a timeframe.
President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo welcomed the signing of CUES and the hotline communications guidelines as an emergency response mechanism for the South China Sea.
"I am convinced that the implementation of CUES and the hotlinecommitment to the freedom of nav-igation in and overflight above the South China Sea as provided for by the universally recognized principles of international law, including the 1982 UNCLOS," reads the Joint Statement of the 19th ASEAN-China Summit.
ASEAN and China celebrate their silver anniversary following a tumultuous year of escalating tensions, particularly with regard to the competing claims in the South China Sea.
An international arbitration ruling dismissed in July Chinas claim to maritime features in the disputed waters, in which Beijing continues to build its military and civilian presence to consolidate powerin the region.
China does not recognize the process or the outcome of the arbitration in The Hague, and has sought to settle the disputes bilaterally, even toying with the possibility of establishing an air defense identification zone(ADIZ).
This threat was removed after ASEAN and China agreed to commit to the freedom of navigation in and overflight above the South China Sea.
Tama Salim
THE JAKAPTA POST/VIENTIANE
A commemorative summit celebrating 25 years of ASEAN-Chinese relations yielded results on Wednesday indicating that all parties are willing to move on from the escalation of tensions in recent months and focus on rebuilding trust and confidence in the region.
Indonesian Foreign Minister Retno LP Marsudi said the 19th ASEAN-China Summit in Laos produced, among other things, two outcome documents a Joint Statement on the Application of the Codewill contribute greatly to peace and security," he said.
Meanwhile, a statement adopted by leaders of ASEAN and China on Wednesday showed that ASEAN centrality and unity prevails amid fears the region might become prone to power projection.
"We reaffirm our respect for and
Conversely, in a move that many consider benefits Beijing, The Hague ruling was not mentioned in the ASEAN-China joint statement It was also not raised during the summit an ASEAN delegation has said.
Indonesia, as a country that has consistently promoted self-restraint in the region, has called on ASEAN leaders and Chinese Premier Li Keqiang to leverage the two partners" good relations and contribute to maintaining regional peace and stability.
"The partnership between ASEAN and China must I stress, be able to con t ribu te to peace [.] to stability [...] and to security in the South China Sea," Jokowi said during the ASEAN-China Summit
"All parties must exercise self-restraint and undertake to resolve disputes by peaceful means."
Jokowi reiterated the importance of pushing for the full and effective implementation of the DOC in the South China Sea so that the region would not be the target of power projection by nations with interests in the region.
In the statement the leaders also expressed their commitment to further deepening and expanding mutually beneficial economic cooperation through the implementation of the ASEAN-China Free Trade Area, and working toward the early and successful conclusion of a modern, comprehensive, high quality and mutually beneficial Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership agreementfor Unplanned Encounters at Sea (CUES) in the South China Sea, and the Guidelines for Hotline Communications among Senior Officials of the Ministries of Foreign Affairs of ASEAN Member States and China in Response to Maritime Emergencies in the Implementation of the Declaration of Conduct (DOC).
"Our hope is that the [implementation of) CUES and the hotline will make the situation in the South China Sea more conducive and manageable," Retno told reporters after the summit For the hotline, Retno has appointed the ministrys director general forEAN cooperation, Jose Tavares, as Indonesias point of contact.
Jose told reporters that both documents were effective immediately, and that the Indonesian delegation had called for a follow-up meeting of ASEAN senior officials for implementation on the ground, although he did not specify a timeframe.
President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo welcomed the signing of CUES and the hotline communications guidelines as an emergency response mechanism for the South China Sea.
"I am convinced that the implementation of CUES and the hotlinecommitment to the freedom of nav-igation in and overflight above the South China Sea as provided for by the universally recognized principles of international law, including the 1982 UNCLOS," reads the Joint Statement of the 19th ASEAN-China Summit.
ASEAN and China celebrate their silver anniversary following a tumultuous year of escalating tensions, particularly with regard to the competing claims in the South China Sea.
An international arbitration ruling dismissed in July Chinas claim to maritime features in the disputed waters, in which Beijing continues to build its military and civilian presence to consolidate powerin the region.
China does not recognize the process or the outcome of the arbitration in The Hague, and has sought to settle the disputes bilaterally, even toying with the possibility of establishing an air defense identification zone(ADIZ).
This threat was removed after ASEAN and China agreed to commit to the freedom of navigation in and overflight above the South China Sea.
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