China Takes Giant Step Towards Economic Recovery

China is taking a giant step towards a worldwide recovery with its own economic rebound.

The President of the Republic, Xi Jinping, who announced this said countries around the world, ASEAN members included, would all benefit from it.

"China will stay as committed as ever to further opening-up, and seek greater synergy through the interplay of its domestic and world economies," he said at the at the opening ceremony of the 17th China-ASEAN Expo (CAEXPO) and

China-ASEAN Business and Investment Summit in the capital, Beijing, over the weekend.

This year's CAEXPO is on the theme: "Building the Belt and Road, Strengthening Digital Economy Cooperation", and aims to deepen China-ASEAN cooperation on the digital economy, promote high-quality Belt and Road cooperation, and inject new vitality into the economic and social development of both sides.

China would work with ASEAN countries, he said, to advance all-round cooperation under the Strategic Partnership Vision 2030.

Such efforts, he said, would help maintain the good momentum for development and prosperity in the region and cultivate a closer China-ASEAN community with a shared future.

President Xi Jinping said: "China will work with ASEAN to advance our wide-ranging cooperation in the coming five years in line with the Plan of Action to Implement the Joint Declaration on China-ASEAN Strategic Partnership for Peace and Prosperity (2021-2025).

" We will also work with ASEAN to implement the China-ASEAN Joint Statement on Synergising the Belt and Road Initiative and the Master Plan on ASEAN Connectivity 2025.

"To be specific, more efforts will be made to build the New International Land-Sea Trade Corridor, strengthen cooperation on infrastructure connectivity including railways, highways, ports, airports, power and communications, speed up the development of existing economic corridors and key projects, and continue to develop the China-ASEAN Multimodal Transport Alliance.

"For that to happen, let me make the following suggestions on what we need to do: First, we need to enhance strategic mutual trust and further synergize our development plans,"

Next year will mark the 30th anniversary of China-ASEAN dialogue relation and President Xi Jinping expressed the hope that China will collaborate with ASEAN on the planning and organisation of commemorative events and take their strategic partnership to a higher level.

"Second, we need to elevate economic and trade cooperation and facilitate an early and full recovery of the regional economy. China will enhance coordination with ASEAN countries, and take the 10th anniversary of the full establishment of the China-ASEAN FTA as an opportunity to further implement our free trade agreement," he said.

"China welcomes the signing of the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership and looks forward to its early entry into force. China will work with ASEAN countries to sustain the smooth flow of trade, promote mutual investment, open up markets wider to each other, and foster deeply integrated industrial, supply and value chains."

President Xi said provided that all the necessary COVID-19 containment protocols were duly observed, steps should be taken to facilitate the movement of people and goods, adding that, "We also need to further deepen and substantiate Lancang-Mekong cooperation and China-BIMP-EAGA cooperation".

The CAEXPO, the president said, should be used fully as a platform with a bigger role to play in promoting all-round economic and trade cooperation between China and ASEAN and in the entire East Asia.

"We need to enhance innovation in Science and Technology and deepen cooperation on the digital economy.

"This year is designated the China-ASEAN Year of Digital Economy Cooperation and we will work with ASEAN countries to seize the opportunities presented by the new round of scientific and technological revolution and industrial transformation.

"We should tap into our complementarity and pursue mutually beneficial cooperation. We could create more highlights of cooperation in such areas as smart city, 5G, artificial intelligence, e-commerce, big data, blockchain and telemedicine, and strengthen the protection of data security and policy communication and coordination, as these efforts will help nurture new drivers for the social and economic development of our two sides."

China, the President said, would work with ASEAN on the China-ASEAN Information Harbor to advance digital connectivity and build a digital Silk Road.

" We need to strengthen cooperation against COVID-19 and enhance capacity building in public health. China stands ready for policy dialogue on public health with ASEAN to improve cooperation mechanisms.

" It is important that we join forces in fighting the coronavirus and step up information sharing and cooperation on the production, development, and deployment of vaccines.

"When its COVID-19, vaccines are available for use, China will actively consider the needs of ASEAN countries.

" China will provide financial support to the COVID-19 ASEAN Response Fund, and work with ASEAN in developing the Regional Reserve of Medical Supplies for Public Health Emergencies and launching a Liaison Mechanism for Public Health Emergencies with ASEAN."

He said China would act on the China-ASEAN Human Resources Training Program of Health Silk Road (2020-2022) to train for ASEAN countries 1,000 administrative and specialised personnel in the health sector, in a bid to help deliver higher quality public health services in the region.

China will work with ASEAN countries and other members of the international community through greater solidarity and cooperation to support the World Health Organization in playing a leadership role and to build a global community of health for all, he added.

President Xi said China had secured major strategic achievements in coordinating COVID-19 response and economic and social development.

"It is the first major economy in the world to resume growth. The recently concluded Fifth Plenary Session of the 19th CPC Central Committee adopted recommendations for formulating China's 14th five-year plan.

"The plenum underscored that China will finish building a moderately prosperous society in all respects within the set time frame, and will embark on a new journey next year toward fully building a modern socialist country."

In 2013, the President announced an initiative for China to work with ASEAN countries for a 21st Century Maritime Silk Road and for a closer China-ASEAN community with a shared future.

---GNA