China-ASEAN Relations, October 2007 to March 2008: Chronology of Events

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

October 2007

• 15th    China approves plans for the country’s fourth harbour area with preferential tax rates in a major step towards a free trade zone with ASEAN.

  The State Council, China’s Cabinet, authorises construction of the Yangpu bonded harbour area in the Yangpu Economic Development Zone, in Hainan Province, covering 9.21 square kilometres. Three other bonded harbour areas are located in Yangshan of Shanghai, Dongjiang of Tianjin and Dayaowan of Dalian, Liaoning province. China and ASEAN are seeking to establish a free trade area by 2010.

• 22nd    Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong sends congratulatory messages to China’s President, Premier and Chairman of the Standing Committee following their re-election to the country’s Politburo Standing Committee.

  In his letter to President Hu Jintao, Mr Lee said the endorsement of the scientific approach to development at the recent Party Congress set the foundation for the next phase of China’s development. Mr Lee noted that since China reformed and opened up its economy three decades ago, the Chinese people have overcome many major problems.

  In his letter to his Chinese counterpart, Mr Wen Jiabao, Mr Lee says Singapore and China have long enjoyed good relations. Economic and people-to-people links between the two countries are robust and growing stronger. He looks forward to meeting Premier Wen again in Singapore in November to discuss furthering ASEAN-China and Singapore-China ties.

• 23rd    Zhang Xiaoqin, Secretary General of the China-ASEAN Expo Secretariat says China and ASEAN have seen fast growth in bilateral trade with the volume expected to top USD200 billion in 2008, two years earlier than the two sides’ expectation. China and ASEAN are now each other’s fourth largest trading partners. China and ASEAN have also sped up cooperation and investment on service trade after signing an agreement on service trade in January this year.

  28–31st    China-ASEAN hold their 4th CAExpo or trade fair in Nanning City. They agree to consider adopting a strategic plan for ASEAN-China Transport Cooperation and an ASEAN-China Maritime Transport Agreement.

  Ports play a significant role in bilateral trade and are regarded as a key element for economic development.

  The forum was attended by ministers responsible for transportation from ASEAN member countries and China.

  The forum also resulted in renewed commitment to improve the investment environment and develop related facilitative policies in order to encourage and further support active participation of the private sector in port infrastructure development.

  The forum also undertook joint efforts, under the framework of the International Maritime Organisation (IMO), to further strengthen cooperation in the fields of port state control, maritime safety and security and maritime environment protection.

• 29th    Vietnamese Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung visits Yunnan Province to ask the locality to cooperate with Vietnam in exploiting the water resources of the Hong (Red) and Mekong Rivers for mutual development.

  In his meeting with Yunnan’s leaders, PM Dung also requests the province to continue working with Vietnamese border provinces to accelerate the demarcation and planting of markers on the two countries’ borderline to meet the 2008 deadline as agreed upon by their leaders.

• 29th    Vietnam and China agree to adopt measures to maintain bilateral trade growth in order to realise their target of USD15 billion in two-way trade by 2010.

  The agreement was reached in Nanning during a meeting between Chinese Deputy Prime Minister Zeng Peiyan and visiting Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung. PM Dung and Vice Premier Zeng agree that China would increase the exports of machinery to Vietnam while raising its imports of crude oil, coal and rubber from Vietnam. They said a treaty on animal and plant quarantine is needed to facilitate both sides’ imports and exports, contributing to a trade balance between the...