Information

In November 2022, at the 25th ASEAN-China Summit held in Phnom Penh, the two sides announced ASEAN-China Joint Statement on Strengthening Common and Sustainable Development, emphasizing the effective synergy between statements and visions put forward by ASEAN and China will be conducive to realizing the Sustainable Development Goals(SDGs) in the region and beyond. A new chapter of bilateral partnership is expected to unleashed, heading toward high-standard cooperation.

Since the establishment of ASEAN-China Dialogue Relations in 1991, cooperative relations between both sides have been tested and deepened. Driven by free trade mechanisms such as the upgraded China-ASEAN FTA and the RCEP, the trade volume between both sides has grown rapidly. In 2022, China remained ASEAN's largest trading partner for the 13th consecutive year, while ASEAN became China's largest trading partner. Even so, trade frictions and geopolitical crises in recent years had increased future economic uncertainties. With the international economic situation keeps changing, China and ASEAN cannot be isolated from the outside world. How can China and ASEAN make joint effort to boost the economic recovery in the face of major challenges is worth addressing.

Against such background, the webinar hosted by China Development Institute (CDI) and KSI Strategic Institute for Asia Pacific (KSI) will provide a platform for exchanges on the cooperation and challenges we are facing. This event has lasted for several years and we are grateful to those participating think tanks for their contribution of knowledge and wisdom.

Debates

1. Facing growing geopolitical competitions and protectionism in the post-pandemic era, how can China better integrate to the regional economic cooperation with ASEAN?


2. What challenges and risks still remain when it comes to synergizing the Belt and Road Initiative and Master Plan on ASEAN Connectivity 2025 in jointly enhancing connectivity and stability of regional supply chain, and how should they be addressed properly?


3. What could be done in the region to promote cooperation with the opportunity of the Fourth Industrial Revolution and digital transformation to achieve green industrialization and sustainable growth?