ASEAN meetings put cooperation on the forefront

Dialogue partners of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations reaffirmed their support of the bloc in safeguarding regional peace, security and prosperity, following meetings reviewing their relationships over the last year.

ASEAN countries and China reviewed progress in their cooperation and discussed the bloc's future direction, particularly ways to advance the ASEAN-China Comprehensive Strategic Partnership, through the implementation of the Plan of Action 2021-2025 and its Annex.

During the meeting, Indonesian Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi said China has been ASEAN's key partner for peace, stability and prosperity in the Indo-Pacific and their partnership continues to flourish and thrive.

Marsudi said several important milestones have been achieved this year, including progress regarding the code of conduct in the South China Sea and commemorating the 20th year of China's accession to the Treaty of Amity and Cooperation in Southeast Asia.

Indonesia hosted the meetings and the 56th ASEAN Foreign Ministers' Meeting in its role as chair of ASEAN this year.

"For our region to grow stronger, we must work harder," Marsudi said. "We want China to be a strong ASEAN partner in maintaining an open and inclusive regional architecture."

Apart from China, ASEAN also held meetings with several other dialogue partners – India, New Zealand, Russia, Australia, Japan, South Korea, the United Kingdom and Canada – during which ministers reviewed their relationships over the past year and pledged enhanced cooperation in the future. They also exchanged views on regional and international issues.

"A strong and unified ASEAN plays an important role in the emerging dynamics" of the Pacific region, Indian Foreign Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar said. "India firmly supports ASEAN centrality and the ASEAN Outlook on the Indo-Pacific."

Jaishankar's comments came during the ASEAN Post-Ministerial Conference with India in Jakarta on July 13, held on the sidelines of the 56th ASEAN Foreign Ministers' Meeting in the Indonesian capital.

At the conference, ministers adopted the Annex to the Plan of Action to Implement the ASEAN-India Partnership for Peace, Progress and Shared Prosperity (2021-2025) to ensure the ASEAN-India comprehensive strategic partnership will be substantive, meaningful and mutually beneficial.

The meeting also reaffirmed ASEAN and India's commitment to further strengthen relations in the coming years, according to the ASEAN website.

The meetings were also attended by Timor-Leste, which was granted observer status in ASEAN in 2022. The meeting with the United States will be held on July 14.

The meeting with New Zealand saw the adoption of the ASEAN-New Zealand Joint Statement on Cooperation on the ASEAN Outlook on the Indo-Pacific.

"New Zealand places enormous value on our relationship with ASEAN as well as the opportunities our partnership brings to engage in dialogue on the issues that concern us," New Zealand Foreign Minister Nanaia Mahuta said.

As comprehensive strategic partners, Australia and ASEAN have an ambitious program of cooperation to build a region resilient to many complex challenges, including climate change, health security and transnational crime, Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong said.

"Deepening Australia's engagement with Southeast Asia is a priority for our government because ASEAN security is Australia security and ASEAN success is our success."

The meeting with Japan was held in conjunction with the 50th Year of ASEAN-Japan Friendship and Cooperation.

Leonardus Jegho is a freelance journalist for China Daily.

Contact the writers at kelly@chinadailyapac.com