His Excellency Wang Yi,
Minister of Foreign Affairs of the People’s Republic of China and Co-Chair of this meeting,
ASEAN Foreign Ministers,
Excellencies,
Let me begin by warmly welcoming His Excellency Wang Yi to Kuala Lumpur, for this ASEAN Post-Ministerial Conference with China.
ASEAN’s Dialogue Relations with China is one of ASEAN’s most substantive and dynamic partnerships. It is a relationship that is built on mutual trust, shared interests, and growing economic interdependence.
Based on shared aspirations and norms, ASEAN and China have continued to ensure that our region remains peaceful, stable and prosperous.
The many challenges that we face should reinforce this commitment we share, which is more important today, in light of the increasingly uncertain global environment.
The fragility of global peace is becoming more apparent by the day. This demands that we redouble our efforts, towards ensuring that peace and stability in our region are maintained.
We must therefore ensure that geopolitical tensions do not escalate, or threaten to undermine security and global trade in the South China Sea.
Towards this end, ASEAN calls on all parties, to manage the situation in the South China Sea with wisdom and prudence.
ASEAN welcomes the progress on the Code of Conduct in the South China Sea (COC), and hopes for continued positive momentum.
We are confident that with the full commitment of all parties in the negotiations, we should be able to conclude an effective and substantive COC, in the not-too-distant future.
Moreover, with the gravely concerning increase in scepticism, for the global non-proliferation regime and nuclear weapons rhetoric, we welcome China’s readiness to become the first NWS to sign and ratify the Protocol to the SEANWFZ Treaty, without reservations.
This would mark a significant step forward, demonstrating China’s leadership and commitment, to a nuclear-weapon-free Southeast Asia.
In terms of economic cooperation, ASEAN and China have remained each other’s largest trading partners for the fourth consecutive year, with total trade reaching USD770.94 billion in 2024, an increase of 10.61% from the year before.
Nevertheless, we must remain vigilant to the threat to an open, fair and rules-based trading system.
In this context, the signing of the ASEAN-China Free Trade Area 3.0, scheduled for later this year, comes at an opportune moment.
Through this agreement, ASEAN and China will be able to fortify our economic cooperation and resilience, during these challenging times and beyond.
As the Country Coordinator for ASEAN-China Dialogue Relations, Malaysia is committed to working with all ASEAN Member States and China, to further advance this partnership that delivers real benefits to our peoples.
Thank you.
--BERNAMA