Chairman’s Statement of the 12th ASEAN-China Summit Cha-am Hua Hin, Thailand, 24 October 2009
1. The 12th ASEAN-China Summit chaired by H.E. Mr. Abhisit Vejjajiva, Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Thailand, was held on 24 October 2009 in Cha-am Hua Hin, Thailand. The Heads of State/Government of ASEAN Member States had a substantive meeting with H.E. Mr. Wen Jiabao, Premier of the State Council of the People’s Republic of China.
2. The ASEAN Leaders congratulated China on the 60th anniversary of the People’s Republic of China and the successful conclusion of the 6th ASEAN-China Expo today in Nanning.
3. The ASEAN Leaders welcomed China’s strong economic growth which has significantly helped limit and cushion the impact of the global financial and economic crisis. The ASEAN Leaders also welcomed China’s constructive role at the G20 Summit and commended its efforts and supports in alleviating the impact of the crisis and strengthening the world’s economy, including through RMB-trade scheme, bilateral currency swap arrangements, and the vigorous economic stimulus package, which greatly contributed towards the early recovery of the global economy. We reiterated our firm commitment to work closely towards sustainable and balanced growth.
4. The ASEAN Leaders appreciated China’s firm and consistent support for ASEAN community building and ASEAN’s role as the driving force in East Asia cooperation. We looked forward to continuing our cooperative efforts in the implemention of the Cha-am Hua Hin Declaration on the Roadmap for an ASEAN Community which encompasses the three Community Blueprints as well as the 2nd IAI Work Plan for 2009-2015.
5. We noted the Executive Report on the Progress of Implementation of the ASEAN-China Plan of Action and noted that the ASEAN-China dialogue relations have developed into a stronger strategic partnership that has fostered better mutual understanding and trust among the people of both sides.
6. We welcomed the completion of the ASEAN-China Free Trade Area (ACFTA) after the signing of the ASEAN-China Investment Agreement on 15 August 2009 in Bangkok and noted with satisfaction that two-way trade volume between both sides had reached US$ 192 billion in 2008 according to ASEAN’s statistics and US$ 231 billion according to China’s statistics, and is growing. We expressed our confidence that ACFTA will further promote trade and investment between ASEAN and China. In this regard, we agreed to optimise the utilisation of the ACFTA.
7. The ASEAN Leaders welcomed China’s initiative to host a Forum on ASEAN-China Free Trade Area in Nanning, China on 7-8 January 2010 and stressed the importance of promoting greater networking and
8. business interactions among our private sectors, in particular SMEs, and emphasized the need to enhance their capacity to fully benefit from the ASEAN-China FTA. In this connection, we welcomed the initiative for the setting-up of an ASEAN-China FTA Business Portal and urged that it should be formally put into operation by 1 January 2010. We further encouraged greater networking among SMEs and special assistance such as provision of timely and accurate information, trade finance, and other trade facilitation measures, for SMEs.
9. We welcomed the signing of the MOU on Establishing the ASEAN-China Centre and looked forward to its earliest establishment. We expressed our confidence that the Centre will contribute to the expansion of trade and investment as well as the increase of SME business, tourism, and people and cultural exchanges between ASEAN and China. The ASEAN Leaders appreciated China’s contribution of US$ 100,000 to the ASEAN Foundation for implementation of projects on people and cultural exchange. The ASEAN Leaders also welcomed that China pledged to train 100 environment officials for ASEAN Member States, to host the 1st China-ASEAN Education Ministerial Meeting in 2010, and to launch the programme “Double 100,000 Goal of Students Mobility in 2020”.
10. To further strengthen our ties at the people level, we supported Thailand’s initiative for ASEAN and China to develop an ASEAN-China Youth Caring and Sharing Programme with an aim to providing youths from ASEAN and China with the opportunity to instill and develop the sense of caring and sharing community.
11. We also welcomed the signing of the MOU on Cooperation in the Field of Intellectual Property and the MOU on Strengthening Cooperation in the Field of Standards, Technical Regulations and Conformity Assessment, which will further help promote closer cooperation in relevant fields and contribute towards greater trade and better mutual understanding in the area of intellectual property.
12. The ASEAN Leaders welcomed that China will continue to render its full support for ASEAN’s participation at 2010 Shanghai World Expo, which will provide excellent opportunities for ASEAN to showcase its economic potentials to the international business community. The ASEAN Leaders fully believed that China’s support for the ASEAN pavilion at this Expo will help raise the profile of ASEAN and bring the region’s markets into the spotlight.
13. ASEAN is developing an ASEAN Master Plan on Connectivity and has commissioned the Asian Development Bank to study the feasibility of establishing an infrastructure development fund for ASEAN. The ASEAN Leaders, therefore, strongly welcomed China’s initiatives to promote infrastructure development, including US$ 10 billion China-ASEAN Fund on Investment Cooperation and US$
15 billion credit, including US$ 1.7 billion preferential loans. The ASEAN Leaders further
14. welcomed China’s pledge that within the US$ 15 billion credit, the part of preferential loans will be increased from US$ 1.7 billion to US$ 6.7 billion. We shared a common view that these initiatives will help promote missing links under the GMS, such as the highways from Kawkareik to Mawlamyine in Myanmar and from Siem Reap to Stung Treng in Cambodia, upgrading of the Singapore-Kunming Rail Link to double track railways, and development of secondary roads linking with the ASEAN Highway. These will benefit intra-regional trade and investment.
15. We noted progress made in GMS Framework with the signing of the Agreement between Thailand and China relating to the Financial Arrangements for the Construction of the GMS North-South Economic Corridor International Bride Project linking Chiang Khong, Thailand and Houayxay, Lao PDR which will further enhance connectivity between GMS and ASEAN. We also highlighted the importance of an early conclusion of an ASEAN-China Air Transport Agreement to further enhance trade, investment and tourism between ASEAN and China.
16. We welcomed the substantial progress made by the Multinational Joint Expert Group made on the feasibility study of the Pan-Beibu Gulf Economic Cooperation (PBGEC). We would ensure that this new sub-regional cooperation would complement other ongoing sub-regional groupings. We further recognised that the PBGEC could help promote economic cooperation in various fields, including maritime cooperation and trade between ASEAN and China.
17. We expressed our firm commitment to stand united and work closely together to tackle existing and future pandemics. The ASEAN Leaders congratulated China on its remarkable achievement in developing a vaccine for Influenza A(H1N1). We recognised the value of traditional medicine as a sustainable, self-reliant and alternative means of more inclusive health care for our peoples. In this regard, we expressed our commitment to work together to further strengthen our cooperation in the development of both modern and traditional medicine to ensure our peoples’ well-being.
18. The ASEAN Leaders welcomed China’s determination to share its expertise and experiences in agriculture with ASEAN to address global challenges on food and energy security. This would contribute to the ASEAN Integrated Food Security (AIFS) Framework and Strategic Plan of Action on Food Security in the ASEAN Region (2009-2013) and the Cha-am Hua Hin Statement on ASEAN Plus Three Cooperation on Food Security and Bio-energy Development to be adopted at the 12th ASEAN Plus Three Summit. The ASEAN Leaders also welcomed China’s pledge to earmark 300,000 tons of rice for the East Asia Emergency Rice Reserve, and China’s effort on the implementation of the ASEAN-China Action Plan on Comprehensive Food Productivity Enhancement and its initiative to launch the ASEAN- China Rural Development Promotion Programme.
19. We decided to formulate the Plan of Action to Implement the Joint Declaration on China-ASEAN Strategic Partnership for Peace and Prosperity for the year 2011-2015.
For further information, please contact the Press Division, Department of Information, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Tel.02-6435170, Fax.02-6435169, E-mail: div0704@mfa.go.th