Editor's note: Han Zhili, a special commentator on current affairs for CGTN, is associate research professor at the Institute of Asian Studies, China Foreign Affairs University. The article reflects the author's opinion, and not necessarily the views of CGTN.

The 43rd ASEAN Summit and related summits began on September 5, 2023. Chinese Premier Li Qiang is attending the China-ASEAN Summit, the ASEAN Plus Three Summit and the 18th East Asia Summit from September 5 to 8, to discuss East Asia integration and cooperation with ASEAN members and other dialogue partners.

Indonesia's ASEAN chairmanship in 2023 is pursuing a vision of "ASEAN Matters: Epicentrum of Growth." This vision is rooted in ASEAN's understanding of the current world situation and ASEAN's role in anchoring world stability. ASEAN stresses that the world is becoming increasingly complex and great power rivalries remain sharp. Open conflicts need to be managed so that new wars do not arise. Southeast Asia lies at the center of these dynamics. Indonesia as chair aims to focus on making ASEAN a stable and peaceful region, as the anchor of world stability.

ASEAN's essential relevance largely depends on its collective will and capacity in maintaining an open and inclusive framework for regional cooperation, adhering to true multilateralism and opposing the use of "small circles" to create divisions and undermine regional peace and stability. Over the years, an ASEAN-centered institutional network for regional cooperation has been formed, playing an irreplaceable role in maintaining regional peace, stability and prosperity. In the face of rising geopolitical tensions, the East Asia Summit serves as a platform for dialogue and consultation among the countries in the region, enhancing mutual understanding and trust, resolving differences properly, not decoupling and not moving towards confrontation.

As a flagship event of Indonesia's ASEAN chairmanship 2023, Indonesia is holding the ASEAN-Indo Pacific Forum (AIPF) from September 5, 2023 in parallel with the 43rd ASEAN Summit and the East Asia Summit, that is a showcase of ASEAN's efforts to strengthen its role in regional stability peace and prosperity, and to promote stronger and more inclusive cooperation and collaboration in the region instead of rivalry and confrontation.

This vision is also based on ASEAN's robust economic performance. The threat of global economic recession is looming, as global economic growth in 2023 is estimated at 2.7 percent, decreasing from 3.2 percent in 2022 and 6 percent in 2021. Even against this backdrop, economic growth in the Southeast Asian region remains strong. In 2022, the ASEAN economy recorded a growth rate of 5.7 percent total trade achieved $3.8 trillion, with a growth rate of 14.9 percent. Indonesia aims to reaffirm ASEAN as an epicentrum of growth, and to make ASEAN the world's engine of sustainable growth. 

Challenges lie ahead for ASEAN to maintain its status as the epicentrum of growth. Inflation has been more persistent than expected, driven in large part by the ongoing conflicts in Eastern Europe. Prolonged monetary policy tightening is introducing risks to financial stability. Escalated geopolitical tensions and the potential for economic fragmentation pose threats to long-term growth prospects for the region. To continue advancing its prosperity, ASEAN leaders agreed to prioritize the effective implementation of the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) Agreement, to continuously upgrade its internal and external Free Trade Agreements to ensure that they are relevant, modern, forward-looking and responsive to the emerging trends and developments, and to play a central role in shaping the evolving regional economic architecture, reinforcing its commitment to multilateralism and promoting economic integration.

China is ready to work together with ASEAN to create regional growth centers and promote common sustainable development. China emerged as the largest bilateral trading partner, accounting for a total trade value of $722.2 billion, equivalent to 18.8 percent of ASEAN's overall trade. As an important development in this regard, China and ASEAN announced the official launch of negotiations on the 3.0 version of the China-ASEAN Free Trade Area, to further improve the quality and level of trade and investment cooperation, to achieve deeper integration of the industrial chain, supply chain and value chain, and to allow more ASEAN enterprises to share China's opportunities.

China is committed to promoting the process of regional economic integration and building a more open and inclusive platform for regional economic and trade cooperation. As the world's largest free trade bloc with the greatest development potential, RCEP's effective implementation is an important milestone in the process of East Asian economic integration. It is necessary to make full use of the open market commitments and rules, and release the benefits of the agreement to a greater extent. China has worked together with ASEAN countries to improve their capacities to implement the agreement, and is willing to continue to make contributions to this end in the future. China supports the early establishment of the RCEP Secretariat to carry out day-to-day work and to provide technical support for high-quality implementation of the agreement.

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