China， ASEAN Agree to Boost Strategic Partnership

China and ASEAN nations expressed satisfaction with the achievements made in their strategic partnership over the course of the past 15 years and agreed to further enhance cooperation at the 10+1 foreign ministers' meeting in Manila on Aug. 6.

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi congratulated ASEAN on its 50th anniversary while expressing best wishes for ASEAN's development in the next 50 years.

China has always viewed ASEAN as a priority in its foreign diplomacy and has supported ASEAN in taking a central role in regional cooperation as well as increased engagement with international and regional affairs， Wang said.

As China and ASEAN celebrate the 15th anniversary of their strategic partnership next year， both sides are also facing a critical point to bring the ties to a higher level， Wang said.

He outlined a seven-point proposal on future China-ASEAN cooperation put forward by China — to formulate a 2030 Vision for China-ASEAN Strategic Partnership； to synergize the Belt and Road Initiative and the Master Plan on ASEAN Connectivity； to designate 2018 as China-ASEAN Year of Innovation； to accelerate the implementation of the outcomes on upgrading the China-ASEAN Free Trade Area and jointly safeguard global free trade； to fully implement the China-ASEAN Joint Statement on Production Capacity Cooperation and boost each other's industrialization processes； to build new pillars for people-to-people exchanges and cooperation； and to expedite negotiations on the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership and lead the process of regional integration together.

Foreign ministers of ASEAN nations congratulated China on the success of the recent Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation， thanked China for its support on ASEAN community building， recognized the positive progress of ASEAN-China ties in the past year and recognized the depth and achievements of China-ASEAN relations.

The foreign ministers also expressed anticipation that as China and ASEAN celebrate the 15th anniversary of the establishment of their strategic partnership next year， the two sides are set to strengthen strategic synergy， as well as deepen cooperation in terms of economics， trade， innovation， connectivity， tourism and other areas so as to bring the strategic partnership to a new level.

On the South China Sea disputes， the foreign ministers fully acknowledged the positive momentum in the past year， welcomed the approval of the framework of the Code of Conduct （COC）， and looked forward to further consultations on the COC under the framework of a full and effective implementation of the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South

China Sea.