By Zhang Chi
From November 20 to 24, 2022, Chinese State Councilor and Minister of National Defense Wei Fenghe attended the 9th ASEAN Defense Ministers' Meeting-Plus (ADMM-Plus) and visited Cambodia. This is the first offline meeting of the ADMM-Plus since the outbreak of COVID-19, and also the first high-level visit by the Chinese military after the 20th CPC National Congress.
This is a journey of exchanges and mutual learning to deepen the China-ASEAN strategic mutual trust. According to the strategic planning of the 20th CPC National Congress held recently, China persists in developing friendship and cooperation with other countries on the basis of the Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence, promotes the establishment of a new type of international relations and is committed to expanding the convergence of interests with other countries. This shows the world that Chinese modernization follows the path of peaceful development. China has never followed and will never take the old path of some countries to achieve modernization by means of war, colonization, or pillage.
Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong has repeatedly said that Asian countries do not want to be forced to choose between China and the United States. The relationships between China and ASEAN countries do not add in any pressure to take sides, only the dynamic to promote unity and cooperation.. Since 2020, China has vigorously fulfilled its responsibility as a major power and acted as a provider of global public goods. It has provided more than 2.2 billion doses of COVID-19 vaccine to over 120 countries and international organizations, including ASEAN countries. The Chinese military has also carried out extensive anti-pandemic cooperation with various counterparts, including those from the ASEAN countries. Against the backdrop of the complicated and profound evolution of the international and regional situation, the Chinese military is willing to further deepen defense and security cooperation with ASEAN countries, make due contributions to deepening the overall bilateral relations and promote the building of a cooperative and inclusive regional security architecture.
This is a journey of dialogue and consultation to proactively implement the Global Security Initiative (GSI). At present, the epidemic has casted profound impact to the 21st century, as reflected by the rise of anti-globalization, and obvious rise of unilateralism and protectionism, weak economic recovery across the world, frequent local conflicts and turbulence, intensifying global issues, serious challenges threatening peace and development. The world has entered a new period of turbulence and changes. China is ready to work with all parties to firmly uphold the international system with the United Nations at its core, promote the implementation of the GSI, and play a constructive role in safeguarding world peace and regional stability.
Safeguarding peace and stability in the South China Sea is in the common interests of both China and the ASEAN countries, and also the common consensus reached by the international community. China and ten ASEAN countries officially signed the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea (DOC) in Phnom Penh, Cambodia 20 years ago. Over the past 20 years, China and ASEAN countries have accumulated successful experience in dialogue, cooperation and common governance, and maintained overall peace and stability in the South China Sea. China is willing to continue to fully and effectively implement the DOC with ASEAN countries, accelerate the consultation on the "code of conduct in the South China Sea", continuously deepen maritime security dialogue and cooperation, and truly build the South China Sea into a sea of peace, friendship and cooperation.
This is a journey of win-win cooperation to promote the building of a community with a shared future. At present, China and ASEAN are comprehensive strategic partners and the largest trading partner to each other, and they have grown into an inseparable security community. China is committed to deepening strategic mutual trust with ASEAN defense departments and armed forces, while focusing on common security needs, expanding dialogue, exchanges and practical cooperation, in an effort to earnestly shoulder the common responsibility of safeguarding regional security.
China and Cambodia are ironclad friends and a community with a shared future. The militaries of the two countries have maintained steady cooperation in military training, personnel training, services and arms exchanges and other fields under the leadership of the heads of the two countries. With the year 2023 marking the 65th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic ties between China and Cambodia, China will work with Cambodia to earnestly implement the important consensus reached by the heads of two countries in strengthening exchanges between the defense departments and the militaries at all levels, deepening practical cooperation in fields like joint exercise and training, equipment technology, medical and health services, personnel training, and multilateral security, to work together to build a stronger China-Cambodia community with a shared future.
(The author isdeputy director of the National Security Strategy Teaching and Research Department of the National Security College of the National Defense University)
