In a significant address at the 27th ASEAN Plus Three (APT) Summit in Vientiane, Chinese Premier Li Qiang articulated China’s commitment to fostering a peaceful and prosperous Asia. Premier Li emphasized the importance of upholding Asian consciousness and leveraging Oriental wisdom to navigate the region towards tranquility, common prosperity, and enhanced interconnectivity.
Highlighting the progress made over the past year, Premier Li acknowledged the advancements in APT cooperation across various sectors while recognizing the ongoing challenges posed by instability and uncertainty. He underscored that Asian countries share a common home, interests, opportunities, and values, which form the backbone of regional solidarity.
Premier Li assured that China remains dedicated to working collaboratively with ASEAN, Japan, the Republic of Korea (ROK), and other Asian nations to reinforce the APT cooperation mechanism. He stressed the importance of ASEAN's centrality in the regional architecture and outlined plans to support the long-term, sound, and stable development of the region, injecting certainty and positive energy into both Asia and the global community.
Calling for continued efforts to foster a robust regional environment, Premier Li advocated for the principles of mutual respect, solidarity, and mutual assistance. He highlighted the need to bolster public support for APT cooperation and enhance the resilience of regional development. Additionally, he emphasized improving the stability and competitiveness of regional industrial systems and the high-quality implementation of the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) agreement.
In his forward-looking statements, Premier Li expressed optimism about accelerating the restart of China-Japan-ROK Free Trade Area negotiations. He also called for invigorating regional innovation by promoting APT exchange and cooperation programs in digital technology, artificial intelligence, green development, and supply chain management. These initiatives aim to foster new growth drivers, optimize economic structures, and sustain development momentum across Asia.
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Chinese premier calls for building an Asia of peace, openness
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