Trade and other exchanges will strengthen between the two sides, with Singapore playing a key role 

In September, China’s State Council Information Office released a white paper titled “A Global Community of Shared Future: China’s Proposals and Actions”, which systematically introduced the theoretical base, practice, and development of a global community of shared future. 

Ten years ago, facing a question raised by the world, by history, and by the times — “What has happened to the world and how should we respond?” — Chinese President Xi Jinping, with his broad strategic vision, outstanding political wisdom and strong sense of responsibility as the leader of a great country and a great political party, propounded creatively the idea of building a global community of shared future and called for building an open and inclusive, clean and beautiful world that enjoys lasting peace, universal security, and common prosperity.

As an important part of building a global community of shared future, President Xi proposed to build a closer China-ASEAN community of a shared future when he visited Indonesia at the same time. Over the decade, China and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, facing the complicated and evolving international situation, have been committed to treating each other with sincerity, mutual assistance, mutual benefit, coordination, and inclusiveness, and embarked on a right path featuring longstanding good-neighborliness and shared progress and prosperity. 

At the Special Summit to Commemorate the 30th Anniversary of China-ASEAN Dialogue Relations in November 2021, President Xi proposed to jointly build a peaceful, safe and secure, prosperous, beautiful, and amicable homeland, which is highly compatible with the idea of a global community of shared future, and reflects the idea in China’s neighborhood diplomacy, driving China-ASEAN relations towards the direction of overcoming difficulties in solidarity and pursuing common development in harmony.

China has long been committed to maintaining regional peace and stability and to building a peaceful and tranquil home with ASEAN. Peace and development remain the theme of the times and a strategic choice for China. China took the lead in joining the Treaty of Amity and Cooperation in Southeast Asia (TAC) 20 years ago and has nurtured the Asian way of seeking consensuses through consultation, non-interference in internal affairs, and accommodating each other’s comfort level, together with all other the countries in the region. 

China is willing once again to take the lead in signing the Treaty on Southeast Asia Nuclear Weapon-Free Zone (SEANWFZ) to maintain long-term security and stability in the region. China and ASEAN are committed to the full and effective implementation of the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea and have concluded the second reading of the Code of Conduct in the South China Sea text, which has demonstrated our common desire and firm determination to maintain peace and stability in the South China Sea.

China and ASEAN have insisted on resolving differences through peaceful consultation, enhancing political mutual trust through dialogue, and deepening mutual ties through economic and trade cooperation, setting a model of good-neighborly friendship.

China has always aimed for common development in the world and a prosperous home for China and ASEAN. Economic globalization is a major trend in history, and decoupling and protectionism are not in the interests of all countries, nor do they work at all. As early as 1997, when the Asian financial crisis erupted, China was in the same boat with ASEAN countries to tide over the difficulties and acted as the “linchpin” for the Asian economy. China and ASEAN are strong trade partners and have cooperated on many Belt and Road projects.

China has always been a staunch champion of enhancing exchange and mutual learning, pursuing common development in harmony, and building an amicable and beautiful home together with ASEAN. China builds relations with neighboring countries following the principles of amity, sincerity, mutual benefit, and inclusiveness, and with ASEAN countries in particular, we always have each other’s backs, bear similar ideas in mind, and adhere to openness and inclusiveness.

As comprehensive strategic partners, China and ASEAN have achieved fruitful results in building a peaceful, safe and secure, prosperous, beautiful, and amicable homeland together, laying a solid foundation for building a closer China-ASEAN community of a shared future. The China-Singapore relationship, as one of the important elements of this endeavor, keeps making its own contributions. 

The path of success outlined by mutual learning and win-win cooperation ushered in by China and Singapore together has not only given a stronger push to the respective development and revitalization of our two countries but also served as an example for cooperation in the region. With China-Singapore relations elevated to an “All-Round High-Quality Future-Oriented Partnership”, we are actively exploring a way of “high-quality” cooperation that takes root in but also goes beyond bilateral relations. 

On international issues and regional cooperation in particular, China and Singapore share similar ideas, not only calling for more support for multilateralism and free trade but also putting words into action and promoting free trade levels between the two countries. 

We have a strong belief that China and Singapore, with our hands joined together, will keep enriching the meaning of the China-ASEAN community of a shared future, and making more side notes for the idea of “overcoming difficulties in solidarity and pursuing common development in harmony”! 

The author is Charge d’Affaires ad interim of the embassy of China in Singapore. 

The views do not necessarily reflect those of China Daily.