奏響中國—東盟關系提質升級的華彩樂章！
來源：中國駐東盟使團
日期：2020-09-09 20:57:00
2020年東亞合作系列外長會前夕，印尼《雅加達郵報》發表中國駐東盟大使鄧錫軍署名文章《攜手推動中國—東盟關系提質升級》，文章內容如下：
2020年東亞合作系列外長會即將舉行，這是歷史上首次以視頻形式舉行的系列外長會。特殊的形式反映出新冠疫情仍在蔓延的現實，面對世紀災疫和復雜變化的地區局勢，當前中國—東盟關系如何？此次外長會將就合作應對疫情挑戰發出什么積極信號？這些都是地區人士尤為關注的。
中國和東盟是推動和引領東亞合作的主要力量，這在雙方攜手應對疫情中得到充分彰顯。習近平主席和李克強總理與東盟國家領導人開展頻密的“云外交”，及時傳遞信心和支持，提供有力政治引領。東盟與中日韓抗擊新冠肺炎疫情領導人特別會議、中國—東盟關于新冠肺炎問題特別外長會在關鍵時間節點舉行，為地區抗疫合作提振了信心，指明了方向。中國和東盟衛生、經貿、交通、信息、災害管理等相關領域就合作抗疫、穩定經濟社會秩序開展多層級、常態化溝通交流，構建全方位抗疫合作體系。
中國政府、軍方、企業和民間機構向東盟國家提供了大量口罩、防護服和檢測試劑等抗疫物資。中國先后向柬埔寨、菲律賓、緬甸、老撾、馬來西亞等5個東盟國家派遣醫療隊，幫助菲律賓、緬甸緊急援建病毒檢測實驗室。中國在疫苗研發、使用過程中，積極考慮東盟國家的需求，支持企業同東盟有關國家廣泛開展疫苗研發與使用合作。著眼疫中疫后社會經濟復蘇，中國和新加坡、老撾、緬甸、印尼等東盟國家建立了人員“快速通道”和貨物“綠色通道”，恢復與越南等東盟國家的直飛國際航班，并積極探討建立中國－東盟和東亞區域“快捷通道”和“綠色通道”網絡，推動區域金融安全網建設，維護地區供應鏈、產業鏈和金融穩定。
中國—東盟攜手抗疫的實踐充分反映出當前雙方關系全方位、多層次、寬領域的合作圖景：
中國—東盟政治互信穩固。當前，地區發展不僅遭遇新冠疫情的嚴峻挑戰，也面臨單邊主義、保護主義、霸權逆流的沖擊。面對地區不確定和不穩定因素上升，中國堅定站在各國共同發展進步的歷史正確一面，倡導和踐行共商共建共享國際治理觀，和東盟國家共同捍衛多邊主義，攜手構建中國—東盟命運共同體，為地區格局演進持續注入正能量。
在南海問題上，雖然個別域外勢力從本國國內政治和地緣戰略出發執意介入南海爭議，挑撥地區國家間關系，企圖攪亂地區局勢，但這種做法注定不得人心。中國和東盟國家始終將維護南海和平穩定視為最大共同利益，牢牢把握南海事務主導權，堅持處理南海問題的“雙軌思路”，積極開展涉海對話合作。中國和東盟國家克服疫情不利影響，舉行落實《南海各方行為宣言》聯合工作組線上會議，繼續推進落實《宣言》進程和“準則”磋商工作，表明了共同維護南海和平穩定的堅定決心。
中國—東盟經貿合作逆勢增長。盡管疫情蔓延和全球經濟衰退疊加，1-8月，中國與東盟貨物貿易進出口總額2.93萬億元人民幣，同比增長7%，東盟繼續成為中國第一大貨物貿易伙伴，從而實現雙方互為最大貿易伙伴的歷史性突破。上半年，中國和東南亞國家雙邊投資額同比增長58.8%。中國－東盟自貿區迎來建成10周年，《中國—東盟自貿區升級議定書》全面生效。近期舉行的東亞合作系列經貿部長會議發表聯合聲明，強調各方共同致力于今年年底前如期簽署“區域全面經濟伙伴關系協定”，強化區域經濟結構，維護地區多邊貿易體系。
中國和東盟高質量共建“一帶一路”捷報頻傳。雙方繼續推進“一帶一路”與《東盟互聯互通總體規劃2025》（MPAC 2025）深入對接，克服疫情不利條件，確保印尼雅萬高鐵、中老鐵路、金邊-西哈努克港高速公路等旗艦項目不斷取得新進展，為地區國家經濟復蘇提供了堅實保障。
中國和東盟數字經濟合作方興未艾。雙方以2020年“中國—東盟數字經濟合作年”為契機，持續完善溝通機制，豐富交流平臺，積極分享數字抗疫、數字基礎設施建設、數字化轉型、數字減貧等經驗，拓展電子商務、智慧城市、5G網絡等領域合作，為打造中國—東盟數字經濟伙伴關系注入強勁動力。
中國—東盟人文交流熱度不減，推動雙方民心相知相親。中國和東盟國家歷史文化多元包容、各具特色，民間交往源遠流長、歷久彌新，雙方緊密活躍的人文交流合作在亞洲地區獨樹一幟。面對疫情，雙方民眾通過捐款、捐物、祈福和錄制祝福視頻等方式互為彼此加油鼓勁，進一步促進了民心相通。中國—東盟菁英獎學金項目穩步實施。雙方媒體智庫青年等不同界別舉行視頻交流對話，促進互學互鑒、相知相交，不斷深化友好情誼。
風雨過后見彩虹，即將迎來而立之年的中國—東盟關系在經歷攜手抗疫的洗禮后，基礎必將更加牢固，動力必將更加充沛，前景必將更加廣闊。期待中國和東盟在本次系列外長會上排除干擾和雜音，為抗擊疫情和疫后經濟復蘇凝聚更多共識，奏響中國—東盟關系提質升級的華彩樂章。
英文全文如下
Working together to Elevate China-ASEAN Relations to Higher Level
Deng Xijun，Ambassador of the People’s Republic of China to ASEAN
The 2020 series of Foreign Ministers’ Meetings on East Asia Cooperation will start tomorrow. This is the first time in history for the Meetings to be held via video link, due to the still raging COVID-19 pandemic. Faced with a pandemic rarely seen in a century and the complex changes in the regional landscape, people in our region might be keen to know more than ever how China-ASEAN relations are going and what signals will be sent on anti-pandemic cooperation in the upcoming meetings.
China and ASEAN are among the main drivers of East Asia Cooperation, which has been fully evidenced by our joint fight against the pandemic in recent months. President Xi Jinping and Premier Li Keqiang conducted frequent “cloud diplomacy” with leaders of ASEAN countries to provide confidence, support and political guidance when they are most needed. The Special ASEAN Plus Three Summit on COVID-19 and the China-ASEAN Special Foreign Ministers’ Meeting on COVID-19 were held at critical junctures, boosting confidence and directing the right way forward for regional anti-pandemic cooperation. To work concertedly against the pandemic and stabilize economic and social order, China and ASEAN have carried out regular exchanges at multi-levels in health, economy, trade, transportation, information, disaster management, among others. All these efforts point to the building of a comprehensive anti-pandemic cooperation front.
Since the outbreak of COVID-19, Chinese central and local governments, the military, the business community and private entities donated a large number of anti-epidemic materials including masks, protective clothing and testing kits to ASEAN countries. China sent medical expert teams to five ASEAN countries, namely Cambodia, the Philippines, Myanmar, the Lao PDR and Malaysia, and helped the Philippines and Myanmar build urgently needed virus-testing labs.
China keeps in mind the needs of ASEAN countries for vaccine R&D and application and supports cooperation in these areas between Chinese enterprises and relevant ASEAN countries. In the meantime, it is of paramount importance to take care of social and economic recovery both during the pandemic and in the post-pandemic era. Toward this end, China and ASEAN countries including Singapore, the Lao PDR, Myanmar and Indonesia have established “fast lanes” and “green lanes” for personnel and goods movement respectively. China has resumed direct international flights with Vietnam and some other ASEAN countries. China has been actively exploring with ASEAN countries the establishment of fast and green lanes networks between China and ASEAN and in East Asia at large. Together we are also working on a regional financial safety net that stabilizes regional supply and industrial chains as well as the financial sector.
These anti-pandemic endeavors lead us to see the larger picture of China-ASEAN cooperation that is comprehensive, multi-tiered and covers a wide range of areas.
China and ASEAN enjoy solid political mutual trust. Regional development today is being challenged not only by COVID-19 but also by the upsurging currents of unilateralism, protectionism and hegemony. In response to the rising uncertainty and instability across the region, China firmly stands on the right side of history to call for common development for all. China champions and acts upon the vision of extensive consultation, joint contribution and shared benefits in global governance. China stands together with ASEAN to uphold multilateralism and build a closer China-ASEAN community with a shared future, injecting sustained positive energy in the evolving regional architecture.
Regarding the South China Sea issue, a few external forces are determined to interfere for the sake of their domestic political and geopolitical agenda. They attempt to stir up troubles in our region by driving a wedge between China and ASEAN. This goes against the will of the people in our region and will in no way gain any support.China and ASEAN share the conviction that peace and stability in the South China Sea is in our biggest, shared interest. We hold the handling of the South China Sea issue firmly in our own hands, uphold the “dual track approach” and actively engage each other in dialogue and cooperation.
Despite the inconvenience caused by COVID-19, China and ASEAN countries have managed to hold a joint working group meeting on the Implementation of the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea (DOC) via virtual link a few days ago. Our joint effort to promote the implementation of DOC and the consultation of Code of Conduct (COC) speaks volume of our resolve to jointly safeguard peace and stability in the South China Sea.
China-ASEAN economic cooperation has enjoyed remarkable growth against strong headwind. Despite COVID-19 and the sluggish global economy, China-ASEAN foreign trade in the first eight months of 2020 reached to 2.93 trillion yuan with a year-on-year increase of7 percent, making ASEAN China’s largest trading partner in goods, and China and ASEAN each other’s largest trading partner, indeed a milestone in history. In the first half of this year, China-ASEAN two-way investment soared by 58.8 percent. The China-ASEAN Free Trade Area celebrates its 10th anniversary in 2020, and the China-ASEAN FTA Upgrading Protocol is in sound implementation after coming into full effect last year.
The just-concluded Economic Ministers’ meetings between ASEAN and partner countries yielded rich fruits as well, including reaffirmed commitment to signing the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement by year-end, improving regional economic structure and upholding the multilateral trading system of our region.
China-ASEAN high-quality cooperation under the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) continues to generate good progress. Greater synergy between the BRI and the Master Plan on ASEAN Connectivity 2025 (MPAC 2025) is being created. Steady progress has been achieved in flagship projects despite the impact of COVID-19, including the Jakarta-Bandung high speed railway, China-Laos railway and Phnom Penh-Sihanoukville expressway, adding more solid underpinning of economic recovery in regional countries.
China-ASEAN cooperation in digital economy is unleashing great potential. Our two sides are making the most of the2020China-ASEAN Year of Digital Economy Cooperation. Institution building is improving, and communication mechanisms are expanding. Experience-sharing is growing in areas of pandemic control, infrastructure construction, industrial transformation and poverty reduction through digital means. Cooperation is strengthening in e-commerce, smart cities, 5G networks. These encouraging interactions significantly energize the shaping of a China-ASEAN digital economic partnership.
Flourishing China-ASEAN people-to-people and cultural exchanges lead to deeper mutual understanding. China and ASEAN countries boast unique, diverse, yet inclusive cultures and a time-honored history of friendship among the people. The closeness and dynamism are unrivaled in Asia.
Since the COVID-19 outbreak, the peoples of China and ASEAN countries have supported each other through financial and material donations or expression of sympathy and blessings in videos. Our hearts are brought closer. The China-ASEAN Young Leaders Scholarship is in sound implementation. People from media outlets, think tanks and other walks of life have also maintained dialogue, learnt from each other and deepened friendship through digital means.
As people often say, the rainbow appears after the storm. China-ASEAN relationship is cleaving the waves in the stormy COVID-19 pandemic and will usher in its 30th year in four months. It is our fervent hope that the rainbow appears sooner rather than later. By then the testing time will be seen to have made the foundation of China-ASEAN relations stronger, driving forces greater and prospects brighter. It is critical for China and ASEAN countries to stay clear of noises and disruptions in the upcoming Foreign Ministers’ meetings, stay focused on building more consensus in combating the pandemic and boosting post-pandemic economic recovery, and stay determined and confident to elevate China-ASEAN relationship to a higher level.
