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85. ASEAN-China Relations Turn the Corner
- ISEAS–Yusof Ishak Institute
- Chapter
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ASEAN-China Relations Turn the Corner 427 By: ROS Size: 7.5" x 10.25" J/No: 03-14474 Fonts: New Baskerville 85. ASEAN-CHINA RELATIONS TURN THE CORNER MELY CABALLERO-ANTHONY Reprinted from Mely Caballero-Anthony, “ASEAN-China Relations Turn the Corner”, PacNet Newsletter, no. 52 (12 December 2002) , by permission of the author and the Center for Strategic and International Studies, Washington, D.C. ASEAN-China relations have come a long way in the past decade and there have been remarkable advances in economic, political, and security cooperation this year. Relations between China and ASEAN were initiated only in July 1991 when Beijing began to attend the ASEAN Post-Ministerial Conference (ASEAN PMC) as a consultative partner. This was significant since until 1990 some ASEAN members did not even have formal diplomatic ties with China. At the 24th Asean Ministerial Meeting in Kuala Lumpur, then Chinese Foreign Minister Qian Qichen expressed China’s interest in strengthening cooperation with ASEAN. This was received warmly by ASEAN and a series of milestones have followed. They include: • The establishment of the ASEAN-China Joint Committee on Economic and Trade Cooperation and the ASEANChina Joint Committee on Science and Technology in July 1994; • China became a member of the ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF) upon its launch in July 1994 and ASEAN and China agreed to have consultations on political and security issues of common concern; • China become a full dialogue partner of ASEAN in July 1996 and attended the PMC for the first time; • China participated in the ASEAN Plus Three summit upon its inauguration in July 1997 paving the way for ASEANChina summits. The ASEAN-China summit has become an annual event since the first informal meeting in Kuala Lumpur in 1997. This provided the framework for both sides to discuss economic as well as political and security issues of common concern. The ASEAN-China summit held after the Eighth ASEAN summit in Phnom Penh in November was particularly productive. During the meeting, several landmark agreements were signed. The most import085 AR Ch 85 22/9/03, 12:58 PM 427 428 Mely Caballero-Anthony By: ROS Size: 7.5" x 10.25" J/No: 03-14474 Fonts: New Baskerville ant was the Framework Agreement on ASEAN-China Economic Cooperation, which would lead to the creation of an ASEAN-China Free Trade Area in 10 years. China is the first dialogue partner to sign such a pact with ASEAN. In addition to the FTA, ASEAN and China signed a memorandum of understanding on agricultural cooperation. In the political and security field, ASEAN and China signed two important declarations : one on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea, the other on Cooperation in Non-traditional Security Issues. Moreover China expressed interest in acceding to the ASEAN Treaty of Amity and Cooperation in Southeast Asia, and to work toward signing the Southeast Asia Nuclear Weapon-Free Zone (SEANFWZ). These initiatives that have emerged in the last two years reflect the increased commitment to deepen cooperation and closer consultation between China and ASEAN. These are major advances in what was once a trouble-ridden relationship between the region and China; they therefore merit closer analysis to see the extent of rapprochement between the two political and economic entities. These initiatives that have emerged in the last two years reflect the increased commitment to deepen cooperation and closer consultation between China and ASEAN. These are major advances in what was once a trouble-ridden relationship between the region and China; they therefore merit closer analysis to see the extent of rapprochement between the two political and economic entities. ASEAN has been eager to engage China on political and security issues in the region. This is despite past mistrust and animosity between the two parties, largely a product of China’s support for communist parties in ASEAN countries. For its part, China has been receptive to ASEAN initiatives. Hence developments on political and economic issues need to be carefully watched, particularly those relating to potential areas of friction or conflict. A good example is territorial disputes in the South China Sea. These disputes remain the single largest issue in ASEANChina relations, even though ASEAN as a corporate entity is not a party to the disputes — only some of its members. Despite China’s previous adamant stance that such issues could only be discussed bilaterally with claimant states, ASEAN was finally able to convince China to discuss South China Sea problems on a multilateral level...