Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi (seventh from right) poses for a photo with ASEAN foreign minsters and ASEAN Secretary-General Lim Jock Hoi (far right) at the China-ASEAN foreign ministers' meeting in Singapore, August 2, 2018. (PHOTO / XINHUA)

SINGAPORE - Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi on Thursday called for building a closer China-ASEAN community with a shared future at the China-ASEAN foreign ministers' meeting. 

Over the past 15 years since the establishment of the China-ASEAN strategic partnership, China-ASEAN relations have developed from growth to maturity, thus entering a new phase of all-round development, Wang said. 

China will continue to regard ASEAN as the priority of its neighborhood diplomacy and be committed to good neighborliness and friendship, mutual benefit and win-win cooperation

Wang Yi, Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister

China will continue to regard the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) as the priority of its neighborhood diplomacy and be committed to good neighborliness and friendship, mutual benefit and win-win cooperation, he said, adding that China supports ASEAN community building as well as ASEAN's central role. 

Wang also noted that China stands ready to share opportunities with ASEAN, jointly meet challenges, and make the bilateral cooperation a pillar of regional peace, stability, development and prosperity. 

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The development of China-ASEAN relations should be guided by strategic docking so as to seek greater synergy of the complementary strengths, tap cooperation potential and create greater room for cooperation, he said. 

The top Chinese diplomat also called on the two sides to step up cooperation in such fields as security, anti-terrorism, disaster prevention and relief, humanitarian assistance, trade and investment, and boost strategic mutual trust. 

Foreign ministers of ASEAN countries appreciated China's support in building ASEAN community, as well as the Belt and Road Initiative for boosting regional interconnection and common development, and expressed the hope that both sides will continue to enhance cooperation in trade and economy, innovation and tourism. 

The ministers urged China and ASEAN to reach the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership in the shortest time to facilitate free trade and regional economic integration, safeguard multilateralism and rules-based multilateral trading regime.  

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China seeks declaration of end to Korean War

After the meeting, Wang Yi said at a press conference that declaration of an end to the Korean War is in line with the trend of the times. 

"The declaration of the end of the war is in line with the trend of the times and reflects the aspiration of people of all countries, including the two countries on the Korean Peninsula," Wang said. 

Wang Yi stressed that in dealing with foreign affairs, China always sticks to principles and never makes any deal 

The Korean Peninsula remains technically at war as the 1950-1953 Korean War ended with an armistice. 

Turning the armistice into a peace treaty is however, another thing, the Chinese state councilor stressed, adding that such a treaty should be signed by all parties through negotiations. 

The efforts by both the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) and the Republic of Korea to move toward that end should be encouraged and supported, he added. 

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Wang stressed that in dealing with foreign affairs, China always sticks to principles and never makes any deal. 

"We will take our position on an issue on its own merits," he said, adding that China has always insisted on establishing a peace mechanism along with denuclearization of Korean Peninsula as the right direction in resolving the nuclear issue of the Peninsula. 

The initiative also suits the common interests of international community, including the United States and the DPRK. China will stick to this basic principle, the state councilor said.