'ASEAN one of China's most important partner'<\/p>\n
Chinese Prime Minister Wen Jiabao will attend next week's
\nAssociation of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) summit in Bali,
\nalong with Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi, South
\nKorean President Roh Moo-hyun and Indian Prime Minister Atal
\nBehari Vajpayee. The following is an excerpt of an interview with
\nthe Chinese envoy to Indonesia Lu Shumin, who talked to The
\nJakarta Post's Kornelius Purba.<\/p>\n
Question:China's economy continues to grow and to attract
\nforeign direct investment (FDI) from industrialized countries,
\nincluding Japan. Meanwhile, ASEAN countries are facing decreasing
\nlevels of FDI. What is China now doing and will do to help the
\neconomies of ASEAN member states so that the two parties can grow
\ntogether?<\/p>\n
Answer: As the world's largest developing country, the fact
\nthat China has been able to maintain its economic development and
\nconstantly increase its people's living standards is a
\nsignificant contribution to the region and the world.<\/p>\n
China's development not only provides a huge market for
\nSoutheast Asia, but also promotes the sound development of the
\nregional economy, facilitates the economic cooperation and
\nintegration of the region and strengthens the capability of the
\nregional economy against risks.<\/p>\n
China and ASEAN enjoy broad common interests in strengthening
\nregional cooperation and promoting peace and development in the
\nregion ... The new Chinese leadership has emphasized that China
\nwill more actively participate in regional cooperation to achieve
\ncommon development with neighboring countries.<\/p>\n
China has become an important driving force for the regional
\ncooperative mechanisms, such as ASEAN + China + Japan + South
\nKorea (10+3) and the Asia Cooperation Dialog. China will continue
\nto support the gradual establishment of a sound regional
\nframework of trade and investment, and the ultimate goal of the
\nfree flow of commodities, people, technologies and information.
\nThese mechanisms of cooperation should develop hand in hand with
\neach other.<\/p>\n
Over the past 10 years or so, the relationship between China
\nand ASEAN has developed rapidly from an overall dialog
\npartnership to the forging of a partnership of good-
\nneighborliness and mutual trust.<\/p>\n
In 2002, China and ASEAN signed the Framework Agreement on
\nComprehensive Economic Cooperation, and launched the negotiation
\nprocess for the Free Trade Area. This October, during the ASEAN
\n10+3 and 10+1 (India) summit which Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao
\nwill attend, China will officially join the Treaty of Amity and
\nCooperation in Southeast Asia (TAC).<\/p>\n
With China's accession to the TAC, relations between China
\nand ASEAN members will be further and fully developed.<\/p>\n
What are the opportunities and problems faced by ASEAN and
\nChina in increasing their economic cooperation?<\/p>\n
China and ASEAN are geographically close to each other, which
\nconstitutes a geographical advantage for developing the economic
\nand trade cooperation between them. Enjoying good political
\nrelations, a solid foundation for developing economic and trade
\ncooperation, the two sides have mutual needs for each other's
\nproducts, since their economies are strongly complementary.<\/p>\n
Sino-ASEAN economic cooperation has a promising future.<\/p>\n
First, China's accession to WTO and the establishment of the
\nASEAN Free Trade Area (AFTA) have laid a sound foundation for the
\nfree flow of both sides' commodities and services.<\/p>\n
Second, China is carrying out the strategies of "developing
\nthe western region of China" and "going out", which will open new
\nprospects for expanding Sino-ASEAN two-way investment and
\ncooperation.<\/p>\n
Third, the rapid development of tourism between China and
\nASEAN has not only promoted the mutual understanding of their
\npeoples, but also has helped the economic development of all
\nparties.<\/p>\n
Fourth, China's active participation, support and promotion of
\nSoutheast Asian regional economic cooperation will create more
\nfavorable factors for its economic cooperation with ASEAN
\nmembers. Fifth, the launch of negotiations for the China-ASEAN
\nFree Trade Area will give new impetus to the development of
\nbilateral trade relations.<\/p>\n
China has expressed interest in jointly exploring natural
\nresources in the Spratly Islands with ASEAN members. What is
\nChina's latest position on the Spratly problem?<\/p>\n
The Chinese government has always stood for negotiated
\nsettlements of international disputes through peaceful means. No
\nparty should take actions that will lead to tension in the
\nregion. This stance also applies to the case of the Nansha
\n(Spratly) Islands. China has put forward the proposition of
\n"shelving disputes and going in for joint development".<\/p>\n
China is ready to put aside the dispute for the time being and
\ncooperate with the countries concerned pending a settlement of
\nthe dispute.<\/p>\n
Last November, the leaders of China and ASEAN members signed
\nthe Declaration of Conduct in the South China Sea, and reached
\nconsensus on the peaceful settlement of differences, joint
\nmaintenance of regional stability and cooperation in the South
\nChina Sea ...<\/p>\n
What is your impression of Indonesia's Chinese-Indonesian
\ncommunity?<\/p>\n
As members of Indonesia's multiethnic family, Chinese-
\nIndonesians have long made due contributions to Indonesia's
\nsocial development and economic prosperity. They should enjoy
\nequally the same rights as other members of the country. Their
\npersonal safety and legal rights should be protected by the
\nIndonesian government.<\/p>\n
However, many of them still have close ties with relatives and
\nfriends in China. So it is natural and normal for the Chinese
\ngovernment and people to be concerned about their livelihood in
\nIndonesia.<\/p>\n
Therefore, the appropriate treatment of Chinese-Indonesians
\nwill not only serve the interests of Indonesia's long-term
\nstability, but also will be conducive to the smooth development
\nof friendly and cooperative relations between China and
\nIndonesia.<\/p>\n
We are pleased to note that there have been fundamental
\nchanges to the Indonesian government's policies toward Chinese-
\nIndonesians. We also hope that Chinese-Indonesians will further
\nmerge into the mainstream of Indonesian society, and make still
\ngreater contributions to Indonesia's social and economic
\ndevelopment, as well as to Sino-Indonesia friendly relations.<\/p>\n
How should the two countries work together to improve their
\neconomies?<\/p>\n
The Chinese government has always attached great importance to
\nits friendly relations and cooperation with Indonesia. In order
\nto deepen the friendly exchanges in various fields, further
\nefforts should be made in the following aspects:<\/p>\n
First, maintain top-level contacts and exchanges. We should
\npromote friendly exchanges between government agencies,
\nparliaments, political parties, military and non-governmental
\norganizations.<\/p>\n
Second, further expand trade and economic cooperation so as to
\nfurther consolidate the foundation of our bilateral relations.
\nThere is great potential for cooperation in the fields of energy,
\ncommunications, electric power, agriculture and infrastructure.<\/p>\n
Third, strengthen cooperation in the sectors of culture,
\neducation and tourism.<\/p>\n
Fourth, strengthen cooperation in the international and
\nregional arenas, joining efforts to safeguard the legitimate
\nrights of developing countries.<\/p>\n
What is China's position on the detention of Myanmar's Aung
\nSan Suu Kyi?<\/p>\n
Myanmar is China's friendly neighbor. China and Myanmar have
\nlong enjoyed a good relationship. The Chinese government follows
\nclosely developments in the situation in Myanmar. What has
\nhappened in Myanmar is a matter between the Myanmar government
\nand the opposition, and it is Myanmar's internal affair.<\/p>\n
China believes that the people of Myanmar are capable of
\nhandling the issue, maintaining social stability and economic
\ndevelopment, so as to benefit themselves and the region.<\/p>",
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