Chinese Premier Li Qiang (left) is greeted by Indonesian President Joko Widodo upon his arrival at the 43rd Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Summit in Jakarta, Indonesia, Sept 6, 2023. (PHOTO / POOL VIA REUTERS)

JAKARTA - Chinese Premier Li Qiang said on Wednesday that China and ASEAN should work together to build an economic growth center, enhance interconnectivity, and deepen cooperation in industrial and supply chains for a closer China-ASEAN community with a shared future.

In his opening remarks at the 26th China-ASEAN Summit, Li said that both sides should also jointly promote cooperation in emerging industries, and strengthen collaboration in such fields as new energy vehicles, photovoltaics and artificial intelligence. 

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In the past 10 years, China and ASEAN have succeeded in blazing a correct path of long-term good-neighborliness and friendship, as well as common development and prosperity as the world is undergoing profound changes unseen in a century, the premier said. 

Li Qiang said as long as China and ASEAN countries can keep on the right path, whatever storms may come, their cooperation will be as firm as ever and press ahead against all odds

Both sides have been committed to the unwavering pursuit of peace with a strong aspiration for development, and both take real actions to safeguard regional stability, he said.

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Li added that China-ASEAN cooperation has come a long way, thanks to their keen understanding about hardships. As long as China and ASEAN countries can keep on the right path, whatever storms may come, their cooperation will be as firm as ever and press ahead against all odds, he stressed.

When talking about the disagreements between China and ASEAN countries, Li said the two sides have properly handled them by seeking common ground while shelving differences through dialogue and consultation.

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The two sides have been deepening practical cooperation in the traditional and non-traditional security fields, and have upheld the five principles of peaceful co-existence and the purpose of the TAC (Treaty of Amity and Cooperation in Southeast Asia), Li added.

"We have preserved peace and tranquility in East Asia in a world fraught with turbulence and change".