China-ASEAN Relations, April 2006 to September 2006: Chronology of Events
April
2nd
Jia Qinglin, Chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) concludes official visits to Vietnam, Indonesia and Malaysia. Jia met with leading government officials in all three countries. He also met with local government officials and representatives from the industrial, commercial, cultural and academic circles of the three countries.
8th
According to a joint communiqué issued at the end of Premier Wen Jiabao's visit to Phnom Penh, the Chinese and Cambodian governments will establish a Comprehensive Partnership of Cooperation.
The two sides will maintain high-level exchange visits and cooperation between government departments, parliaments, political parties, armed forces, local governments and non-governmental organisations. A series of activities [End Page 157] to mark the 50th anniversary of diplomatic relations will be held in 2008. The two sides will enhance the role of the China-Cambodia Economic and Trade Cooperation Joint Committee in planning, coordinating and promoting bilateral economic cooperation and trade.
The two countries pledge to strive towards the goal of USD one billion worth of annual bilateral trade by 2010. The Cambodian side expresses thanks for the preferential tariff treatment provided by the Chinese side for 418 Cambodian products.
The Chinese side supports the efforts of capable Chinese enterprises to strengthen cooperation with Cambodian enterprises in infrastructure, mineral, gas and oil exploration, manufacturing, processing of textiles and other fields. The Cambodian side will facilitate trade, investment and other business activities carried out by Chinese enterprises in Cambodia.
The two countries agree to boost cooperation in agriculture, transportation, culture, education, health, the information industry, sports and tourism. They welcome the forming of a Sister City Relationship between Shanghai and Phnom Penh, and the forming of Sister Province Relationships between Hainan Province and Kampong Cham Province, and between Yunnan Province and Siem Reap Province.
The two sides agree to strengthen bilateral diplomatic consultation, exchange views on major international and regional issues, maintain close coordination to safeguard their shared interests and contribute to peace, stability and development in the region and the rest of the world. The two countries will strengthen coordination and collaboration in the United Nations and other international organisations. They agree to work together to promote the ASEAN-China strategic partnership for peace and prosperity, implement the Programme of Action for ASEAN-China Strategic Partnership and speed up the establishment of the ASEAN-China Free Trade Area. The two countries agree to strengthen coordination and cooperation in ASEAN+3, the East Asia Summit, the Asia Cooperation Dialogue, the ASEAN Regional Forum, the Asia-Europe Meeting and the World Trade Organisation. The Chinese side expresses the hope to see Cambodia become an APEC member at an early date.
13–20th
Singapore Senior Minister Goh Chok Tong visits China. He and Chinese Premier Wen agree that Singapore and China can work together to explore joint cooperation with third countries, such as India and those in the Middle East. They agree that Singapore and China should encourage more Chinese [End Page 158] companies to list on the Singapore Exchange as part of efforts to help Chinese firms go global.
Both leaders express satisfaction with the Suzhou Industrial Park, which Mr Goh is scheduled to visit later this week, and agreed to encourage its growth.
Mr Goh also said there would be several high-level visits from Singapore to China this year to boost ties. One area in which the two sides could cooperate was maritime security, as both China and Singapore were 'heavily dependent' on international trade.
"It is in our common interest to ensure that...
