Chronology of Events: January 2015 to April 2015

As a research institute based in Singapore, the EAI monitors developments in relations and interactions between China and the individual countries of Southeast Asia as well as the ASEAN grouping as a whole. This material is presented in the form of(1) a chronology of events, and (2) important documents.

—the Editors

JANUARY 2015

13th	Chinese Vice Foreign Minister Cheng Guoping and Indonesian head of the National Counter-Terrorism Agency (BNPT) Saud Usman Nasution co-chair the third China-Indonesia counter-terrorism consultation in Beijing. Both sides exchange views on respective counter-terrorism situation, de-extremalisation, counter-terrorism cooperation and other issues. Cheng says both countries should constantly promote practical counter-terrorism cooperation and play a positive role in safeguarding security of the region. Saud Usman Nasution concurs, adding that both Indonesia and China are victims of terrorism and should strengthen cooperation against terrorism.
15th	Director General of China’s Department of International Affairs of the Foreign Ministry Li Junhua co-chair the China-Malaysia consultation on the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) affairs with Deputy Secretary General of Malaysia’s Foreign Ministry Ho May Yong in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Both sides exchange their views on UNSC cooperation, international and regional hotspot issues, UNSC reform, the 70th anniversary of the founding of the UN and other topics.
15th–16th	The Ninth Meeting of the Technical Committee on Maritime Cooperation between China and Indonesia convenes in Beijing. Both sides agree to expedite the implementation of China-Indonesia ocean development strategies, a consensus reached by Chinese President Xi Jinping and Indonesian President Joko Widodo during the 22nd Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Economic Leaders’ Meeting.
	Both countries review the positive progress achieved in the preparatory work of “China-Indonesia Joint Maritime Search and Rescue Sand Table Exercises” and kick-start the “Vessel Traffic Service Operator Capacity Building for Lombok and Sunda Straits” project implementation. Both have agreed to hold the 10th meeting in Indonesia in later part of 2015.
27th	Chinese Premier Li Keqiang meets Indonesian Coordinating Minister for the Economy Sofyan Djalil in Beijing at the First High-level Economic Dialogue, where both countries pledge further economic cooperation in areas including trade, investment and infrastructure. Li says China is committed to maintain strategic mutual trust, increase high-level dialogue and strengthen cooperation with Indonesia. It is also ready to help Indonesia build factories and production lines. Sofyan says Indonesia China’s investment and technology would help boost Indonesia’s development. Both sides also sign a letter of intent for cooperation on a power plant.

FEBRUARY 2015

5th	China-ASEAN Business Council (CABC) and ASEAN Committee Beijing co-host the 2015 China-ASEAN Celebrating New Year and Enhancing Cooperation Activity in Beijing. Ambassadors of ASEAN countries to China, officials from relevant Chinese government departments, scholars and famous entrepreneurs from China and ASEAN attend the event.
	Singapore ambassador to China Stanley Loh Ka Leung highlights that ASEAN is China’s third-largest trading partner and leaders of both sides have set to meet the US$1 trillion goal in bilateral trade volume by 2020. Loh acknowledges the work of CABC in promoting China-ASEAN economic and trade cooperation through events and platforms like business conferences, awards ceremony for top enterprises and New Year party celebrations.
11th	Chinese Vice Foreign Minister Liu Zhenmin meets Chheang Vun, visiting chairperson of the Commission on Foreign Affairs, International Cooperation, Information and Media of the National Assembly of Cambodia. Both sides exchange views on the bilateral relations to advance the traditional friendship between China and Cambodia and deepen cooperation in various areas in order to enrich the significance of comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership between both countries.

MARCH 2015

3rd–8th	Officials from the foreign ministries of Myanmar and China meet in the Shan State border town of Muse to discuss about restoring law and order in their border area. Meanwhile, a delegation of the Myanmar-China Friendship Association has travelled to Beijing to meet Chinese Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs Liu Zhenmin along with other officials.
11th	Chinese Assistant Foreign Minister Zheng Zeguang meets with Indonesian Head of Policy Analysis and Development Agency of...