ASEAN, China vow to foster cooperation

ASEAN and China have affirmed their commitment to forge closer cooperation during the 16th Meeting of the ASEAN-China Joint Cooperation Committee (JCC), a key mechanism to review ASEAN-China cooperation and discuss its future direction, held in Jakarta on April 10.
ASEAN and China have affirmed their commitment to forge closercooperation during the 16th Meeting of the ASEAN-China Joint CooperationCommittee (JCC), a key mechanism to review ASEAN-China cooperation anddiscuss its future direction, held in Jakarta on April 10.

The meeting acknowledged the strong forward momentum in ASEAN-Chinarelations. The two sides welcomed the significant progress inimplementing activities and projects under the present ASEAN-China Planof Action (POA) for 2011-2015.

As the POA concludesat the end of 2015, both sides recognised the need to step up the paceof implementation for the remaining measures in the plan.

The ASEAN and China are now working on a successive POA to drivecooperation over the next five years, from 2016 to 2020.

Both sides agreed that the new plan needs to be forward-thinking andinclusive, addressing the needs and expectations of the ASEAN andChina in the new era. The activities and projects for the next phaseshould reflect the desire and commitment of both sides to strengthentheir strategic partnership and contribute to the ASEAN's Post-2015Vision.

Participants at the meeting noted thefollow-through of decisions made at the 15th ASEAN-China Summit lastNovember, such as upgrading the ASEAN-China Free Trade Agreement andcooperation in public health, science and technology. They agreed towork closely to realise the remaining determinations within the comingyear.

Development cooperation is a key area ofASEAN-China collaboration; China's role in contributing to ASEANdevelopment by sponsoring relevant activities and projects through theASEAN-China Cooperation Fund was acknowledged by ASEAN member states.

To further enhance the effectiveness and timelinessof activities and projects, both sides agreed to explore ways to improvethe implementation process.

ASEAN, or theAssociation of Southeast Asian Nations, comprises Brunei, Cambodia,Indonesia, Malaysia, Myanmar, Laos, the Philippines,Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam.-VNA

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