BEIJING, Oct. 22 -- China and ASEAN countries are close neighbors with similar development philosophies and deeply intertwined interests. This comprehensive strategic partnership continues to be consolidated, injecting stability and certainty into the development of Asia and the world, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun said on Wednesday.
Guo made the remarks when asked to comment on China-ASEAN cooperation at a regular news briefing.
According to the latest statistics, in the first three quarters of this year, China's total imports and exports with ASEAN were valued at 5.57 trillion yuan (about 785 billion U.S. dollars), an increase of 9.6 percent year-on-year. During this period, ASEAN remained China's largest trading partner, and events such as the China-ASEAN Expo were successfully held. Amid rising external uncertainties, China-ASEAN cooperation has bucked the trend and scored many achievements.
Guo noted that high-level exchanges between China and ASEAN are increasingly frequent, fostering deeper mutual political trust and strengthening the momentum of integrated development. Both sides attach great importance to aligning development strategies and have formulated the Plan of Action to Implement the ASEAN-China Comprehensive Strategic Partnership (2026-2030), he added.
Giving full play to their complementary advantages, China and ASEAN are strengthening the integration and resilience of industrial and supply chains, Guo said.
Within this year, the two sides will formally sign the China-ASEAN Free Trade Area 3.0 Upgrade Protocol, empowering regional economic integration and global trade, he noted.
Guo said that the China-Laos Railway and the Jakarta-Bandung High-Speed Railway are operating smoothly, further improving connectivity and driving growth along their respective routes.
He added that cooperation in emerging areas such as artificial intelligence and the digital economy is flourishing, which has helped create new prospects for innovation-driven development.
Guo also mentioned that cultural exchanges between China and ASEAN are accelerating. The China-ASEAN Year of People-to-People Exchanges has been fruitful in education, youth, think tank and media cooperation.
China has introduced the "ASEAN visa," and has realized mutual visa-exemption arrangements with Singapore, Thailand and Malaysia, and reciprocal visa-free treatment with Brunei, he said.
According to Guo, China and ASEAN are jointly committed to safeguarding regional peace and stability. China firmly supports ASEAN's centrality in the region and supports addressing ASEAN's internal issues in line with the "ASEAN Way," he said.
China is committed to properly managing differences with directly concerned countries regarding the South China Sea through dialogue and consultation, Guo said, adding that China will work with ASEAN to fully and effectively implement the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea, accelerate consultations on the Code of Conduct in the South China Sea, deepen practical maritime cooperation, and jointly build the South China Sea into a sea of peace, friendship and cooperation.
"The more volatile the international landscape is, the more we need to steady the helm of cooperation and build a road of mutual benefit and win-win outcomes," Guo said.
The spokesperson said China is committed to fostering an amicable, secure, and prosperous neighborhood, adhering to the principles of amity, sincerity, mutual benefit, and inclusiveness, as well as to the vision of a community with a shared future.
China will work with regional countries to build a peaceful, safe and secure, prosperous, beautiful and amicable common home and advance the building of an even closer China-ASEAN community with a shared future, the spokesperson said.
