China calls for higher level strategic partnership with ASEAN

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China has always seen the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) as a priority in its neighborhood diplomacy, said Chinese Premier Li Keqiang, calling to take China-ASEAN relations to a brighter future.

Li made the remarks on Monday in a congratulatory message to Singapore's Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong. The two leaders exchanged messages to mark the 15th anniversary of the China-ASEAN strategic partnership.

China was the first to accede to the Treaty of Amity and Cooperation in Southeast Asia in 2003, and the first to establish a strategic partnership with ASEAN.

Li said that over the past 15 years, China and ASEAN have maintained sound and steady relations with stronger political mutual trust and closer business ties.

He also noted that the two sides have made great achievements in mutually beneficial cooperation and people-to-people exchanges.

The development of China-ASEAN relations has brought tangible benefits to the two billion people of both sides, and promoted peace, stability, and prosperity in the region and the world, he said.

China-ASEAN relations have entered a mature period of upgrading, and are facing new development opportunities, Li said.

He said China is committed to being ASEAN's good partner for common development, peace, greater openness, win-win progress, innovation, inclusiveness, and mutual learning, and called to build a higher level strategic partnership and a more close-knit community with a shared future.

Singapore's prime minister said ASEAN-China partnership has broadened and deepened significantly across the political-security, economic and socio-cultural pillars over the past 15 years.

"To bring our regions even closer, both sides are exploring ways to enhance connectivity through synergies between the Master Plan on ASEAN Connectivity 2025 and China-proposed Belt and Road Initiative," Lee said.

"I look forward to the adoption of the ASEAN-China Strategic Partnership Vision 2030 statement at the 21st ASEAN-China Summit in November in Singapore," Lee said, adding the document will chart the strategic direction of cooperation between the two sides going forward.

(Top image via ASEAN's official website)