JAKARTA, July 11 (Xinhua) -- Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi said here Monday that China chooses to join hands with ASEAN members and other regional countries to adhere to the vision of peace, development, independence and inclusiveness.
While delivering a speech at the ASEAN (the Association of Southeast Asian Nations) Secretariat, Wang said Asia is standing at a new historical starting point and facing unprecedented development opportunities.
In the meantime, Wang said, the world today is not peaceful and there are two completely different trends concerning the future of Asia, and hence all countries in the region should make choice on openness or isolation, cooperation or confrontation, solidarity or division, progress or regression.
China chooses to join hands with ASEAN members and other regional countries to firmly uphold open regionalism and, by drawing experience and wisdom from Asian civilizations and practices, constantly add new dimensions to open regionalism, Wang said.
Wang made four points regarding open regionalism.
First, always upholding the concept of peaceful coexistence. It should never allow any attempt to extend geopolitical conflicts or bloc confrontation to Asia, nor wish to see any sanction, blockade or humanitarian crisis here.
It is necessary to unequivocally champion the vision of common, comprehensive, cooperative and sustainable security and stay committed to safeguarding the sovereignty and territorial integrity of all countries, take seriously the legitimate security concerns of all countries, and resolve differences and disputes in a peaceful way through dialogue and consultation.
Second, always upholding the goal of development and rejuvenation.
At present, the Asian economy is facing growing risks with disruptions to the stability of regional industrial and supply chains and unabated noises of "decoupling" and "severing supply chains."
China and ASEAN countries should together defend the multilateral trading regime with the World Trade Organization as the cornerstone, ensure a free and open global market, and promote integrated economic development.
Third, always upholding the principle of independence.
Noting many countries in the region, including ASEAN countries, are under the pressure to take sides, and the strategic environment in the region risks being reshaped by political factors, Wang said that it is necessary to continue to uphold independence, respect each other's sovereignty and core interests, and respect the integrity, independence and leading role of ASEAN as a community to insulate this region from geopolitical calculations and the trap of the law of the jungle, from being used as chess pieces in major-power rivalry, and from coercion by hegemony and bullying.
Fourth, always upholding the spirit of openness and inclusiveness.
Despite current headwinds, globalization keeps surging forward. It is necessary to promote harmony without uniformity, embrace diversity in coexistence, and reject the attempt to split the region into confrontational or exclusive groups, Wang said.
He urged to uphold true regional cooperation that unites countries within the region and remains open to countries outside, and reject the kind of fake regional cooperation that keeps certain country out and targets certain side. ■
