Both parties reviewed the achievements of bilateral cooperation over the last 20 years and predicted an increase in trade to more than one trillion dollars in 2023.

Wang Yi, head of the Foreign Affairs Commission of the Communist Party of China and a member of the Political Bureau, represents China at the ASEAN-China Foreign Ministers’ Meeting in Indonesia.

The diplomat stressed that joint collaboration made it possible to overcome the challenge posed by the pandemic and make progress in regional stability and peace.

Wang mentioned some of the completed projects of the Belt and Road Initiative between Southeast Asian countries and China, which benefit more than two billion people.

He particularly praised the opening of Cambodia’s Phnom Penh-Sihanoukville expressway, the launch of cross-border passenger services on the China-Laos railway, and the New International Land-Sea Trade Corridor.

The parties discussed the negotiation of version 1.3 of the China-ASEAN Free Trade Area, as well as the implementation of the Regional Comprehensive Economic Association.

Wang reiterated China’s position on ASEAN’s continued development in an open and inclusive manner without outside interference.

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