China, ASEAN in comprehensive strategic partnership, says Xi

"This is a new milestone in the history of our relations and will inject new impetus into peace, stability, prosperity and development of our region and the world," Xi said.

He was chairing the summit via video link from Beijing.

NEED FOR DIALOGUE

President Xi stressed that China and the ASEAN need to pursue dialogue instead of confrontation, build partnerships instead of alliances, and make concerted efforts to address the various negative factors that might threaten or undermine peace.

"Maintaining peace is our greatest common interest and the most cherished aspiration of people of all countries. We need to serve as the builders and guardians of peace in the region," he said.

"We need to practice true multilateralism and stick to the principle that international and regional affairs be handled through discussion among us all.”

China firmly opposes hegemony and power politics. China pursues long-term, friendly coexistence with neighboring countries, and is part of the common efforts for durable peace in the region, said the Chinese leader. "China will never seek hegemony, still less bully smaller countries," he added.

CLOSER CHINA-ASEAN COMMUNITY

President Xi called for fostering a closer community with a shared future for China and the ASEAN.

Quoting an ancient Chinese statesman who observed that "Designs for justice prevail, and acts for people's benefit succeed," he stressed keeping in mind the people's aspirations for a better life and shouldering the mission of the times to safeguard peace and promote development.

He urged working hand in hand to build on what has been achieved, striving toward a closer China-ASEAN community with a shared future, and making the region and the world even more prosperous and beautiful.

GOOD-NEIGHBORLY FRIENDSHIP

President Xi hailed the good-neighborly friendship and win-win cooperation between China and ASEAN over the past 30 years and said China-ASEAN dialogue relations have gone through an extraordinary journey over the past three decades.

"These 30 years have witnessed intensive development of economic globalization and profound changes in the international landscape. These 30 years have also seen China and ASEAN seizing opportunities of the times and achieving leapfrog development in our relations," he said.

China and ASEAN have cast away the shadow of the Cold War and jointly upheld stability in the region, spearheaded economic integration in East Asia, promoted common development and prosperity, and delivered better lives to the over two billion people, said Xi.

We have explored a bright path of good-neighborliness and win-win cooperation, taken strides toward building a closer community with a shared future and made important contribution to the cause of human progress," Xi said.

China was, is and will always be ASEAN's good neighbor, good friend and good partner, he said.

Xi reaffirmed that China will unswervingly take ASEAN as a high priority in its neighborhood diplomacy, unswervingly support ASEAN unity and ASEAN Community building, unswervingly support ASEAN centrality in the regional architecture, and unswervingly support ASEAN in playing a bigger role in regional and international affairs.

BUILDING PROSPEROUS HOME TOGETHER

Saying that China and the ASEAN can build a peaceful, safe and secure, prosperous, beautiful and amicable home together, he assured that China's development will provide more opportunities for and inject strong impetus into the region and the wider world.

China stands ready to work with the ASEAN to grasp the overriding trend, remove interference, share opportunities and promote shared prosperity, he said.

"We will implement in earnest our Comprehensive Strategic Partnership, and make new strides toward building a closer China-ASEAN community with a shared future," Xi said.

EXPERIENCE OF COOPERATION

The Chinese leader said the valuable experience of China-ASEAN cooperation over the past 30 years should be cherished and upheld over the long run.

"The gains in China-ASEAN cooperation over the past 30 years are attributable to our unique geographical proximity and cultural affinity and, more importantly, to the fact that we have actively embraced the development trend of our times and made the right historic choice.”

He said China and ASEAN have respected each other, acted by the basic norms of international relations, cooperated for win-win results, and followed a path of peaceful development. 

China and ASEAN have looked out for each other, honored the principle of amity, sincerity, mutual benefit and inclusiveness, upheld inclusiveness and mutual learning, and jointly contributed to open regionalism, he said.

"The valuable experience we have gained over the past 30 years is the shared asset of China and ASEAN. It lays the foundation and provides guidelines for developing our Comprehensive Strategic Partnership," Xi said.

He called for doubly cherishing the experience, upholding it over the long run, and keeping enriching and expanding it.