The new Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi visited the ASEAN Secretariat in Jakarta and held talks with ASEAN Secretary General Le Luong Minh on May 2.

During the meeting, the two sides exchanged views on a number of issues of mutual interest, including ways and means to further strengthen the ASEAN-China Strategic Partnership.

ASEAN and China have expanded their cooperation in a wide range of fields, especially over the past 10 years, Minh said. He suggested the two sides exert more efforts to further promote the bilateral strategic partnership on the basis of the gained achievements.

He recommended that ASEAN and China further strengthen collaboration in a number of areas such as in combating transnational crime, maritime cooperation, ASEAN connectivity, implementation of the ASEAN-China Free Trade Agreement (ACFTA), science and technology, health, and food and energy security.

For his part, FM Wang Yi reaffirmed that the new leadership of China treasures the relations with ASEAN and strongly supports ASEAN’s central role in East Asia cooperation, ASEAN’s Community building efforts and its integration process.

According to Wang , China will focus its cooperation with ASEAN, among others, on three areas, namely supporting the implementation of the Master Plan on ASEAN Connectivity, maritime cooperation and efforts towards a Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP).

The two sides also exchanged views on the East Sea issue and stressed the importance of ensuring full and effective implementation of the Declaration of the Conduct of Parties (DOC) in the East Sea , moving towards the conclusion of a Code of Conduct (COC) in the East Sea .

They reaffirmed the significance of maintaining peace and stability in the East Sea as well as in the region.

On the occasion, FM Wang Yi invited SG Minh to pay an official visit to China.-VNA