The historic ASEAN-GCC-China Summit rolled into Jakarta this week, uniting ASEAN, the GCC and China in a first-of-its-kind dialogue. Against a backdrop of rising protectionism, leaders are drafting a blueprint to turbocharge trade, align policies and spark innovation across Asia’s fast-evolving markets.
The Chinese premier, Li Qiang, outlined a three-pronged strategy: deepen strategic alignment with ASEAN and the GCC, synchronize macroeconomic frameworks, and build partnerships rooted in mutual respect. He emphasized that a stable and prosperous Asia is a stabilizer for the world, underscoring the summit’s ambition to rewrite the rules of regional cooperation.
ASEAN brings together 10 Southeast Asian nations — Indonesia, Thailand, Singapore, Malaysia, the Philippines, Vietnam, Myanmar, Cambodia, Laos and Brunei — plus Timor-Leste as a candidate and Papua New Guinea as an observer. Together, its members form the world’s fifth-largest economy, trailing only the United States, China, the European Union and Japan.
The GCC is comprised of six energy-rich states — Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Kuwait, Oman and Bahrain — which hold the world’s largest combined crude oil and natural gas reserves. With per capita GDP roughly three times the global average, the bloc ranks among the wealthiest on Earth.
By aligning policies and exploring new models of industrial and economic cooperation, the summit offers a constructive response to protectionism and unilateral trade measures. This framework could open fresh corridors for goods, services and investment across three continents.
For business leaders eyeing emerging markets, the summit sends a clear message: cross-border collaboration is not just an ideal but a strategic imperative for the 21st-century economy.
And for young global citizens and digital nomads, closer ties could soon translate into streamlined travel, simplified digital payments and richer cultural exchanges from Jakarta to Doha and beyond.
As the summit concludes, the shared blueprint for a connected Asia signals a new chapter in global cooperation—with real potential to stabilize and energize economies worldwide.
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ASEAN-China-GCC Summit charts new blueprint for Asian cooperation
cgtn.com
