Call for Unity from the Chinese Prime Minister to ASEAN Countries

Emphasis on Solidarity Between China and ASEAN Countries

Chinese Premier Li Qiang participated in the 28th China-ASEAN Summit held in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. In his speech during the summit, Li stated that China and ASEAN countries should strengthen their unity to counter negative external influences.

Defense of Common Interests in the International Environment

Li emphasized the importance of coordinated efforts based on mutual trust, stressing that these countries need to come together to defend their legitimate rights and common interests. He called for further advancement of trade and investment liberalization and strengthening of industrial integration.

Innovations in Trade Agreements

Li expressed that updating the agreement that forms the China-ASEAN Free Trade Area is an important opportunity. In this context, he stated that they are ready to move towards becoming a "community that shares a common future" with the implementation of the ASEAN-China Comprehensive Strategic Partnership Action Plan (2026-2030).

Call for Peaceful Resolution and Consultation

Li expressed his support for efforts towards a peaceful resolution of ongoing disputes between Cambodia and Thailand, and stated that consultations should be accelerated to establish a Code of Conduct regarding sovereignty disputes in the South China Sea.

ASEAN Region: An Alternative Market for China

In this period when the U.S. is reshaping economic relations with tariff increases, China views the ASEAN region as an important alternative market. The trade volume between China and ASEAN countries has increased sevenfold since the free trade agreement signed in 2002.

The trade volume is expected to reach 982.3 billion dollars by 2024; in this context, China has been ASEAN's largest trading partner for 16 years, while ASEAN has been China's largest trading partner for the last 5 years.