On July 21, 2010, foreign ministers’ meeting of ASEAN and China, Japan and South Korea (10+3) was held in Hanoi, Vietnam. Chinese Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi attended the meeting and delivered a speech.
Yang noted that with the joint efforts of 10 ASEAN members and China, Japan and South Korea in recent years, the 10+3 cooperation in various fields has achieved fruitful results and made outstanding contributions to promoting the development of East Asian countries, especially in the following areas: financial cooperation achieved positive progress, Chiang Mai Initiative Multilateralization Agreement came into effect and regional credit guarantee and investment fund were established. East Asia free trade zone study is carried out steadily and ASEAN has built free trade zones with China, Japan and South Korea respectively. Food security cooperation has stepped forward and the building of 10+3 rice emergency reserve is accelerated. Cooperation in education, science, culture and health remains dynamic. Dialogue and communications on such major issues as the reform of international system and climate change is reinforced. Dialogue mechanisms in all fields run smoothly and cooperation efficiency and effectiveness are on the rise.
Yang said that the readjustment of regional and international political and economic pattern is being accelerated, the impact of international financial crisis continues to exist and peace, development and prosperity of East Asia face both promising prospects and numerous challenges. Under the new situation, in order to enhance the inherent dynamism and vigor of East Asian development, we should honor commitment, strengthen solidarity, enrich cooperation connotation and lift up cooperation level while focusing on strengthening financial cooperation and push forward the coordinated and sustainable economic and social development of East Asia. First, it is necessary to implement and improve the mechanism of Chiang Mai Initiative Multilateralization and increase its effectiveness and reliability as a regional capital aid mechanism, build the regional economic supervisory agency as soon as possible to offer decision-making support to Chiang Mai Initiative Multilateralization, continue to advance various cooperation under the Asian bond market development initiative and make preparations for the early launch of the regional credit guarantee and investment fund. Second, starting from trade and investment facilitation, efforts should be made to gradually achieve substantial progress of East Asia free trade zone construction when the conditions of building free trade zone within the framework of 10+3 are mature. Third, agricultural cooperation among East Asian countries should be expanded and deepened to improve crop production and food security guarantee capacity of the region. The 10+3 rice emergency reserve should be built as soon as possible in order to play a positive role for East Asian countries to cope with disaster, stabilize food price, balance supply and demand and strengthen food information exchange. Fourth, interconnection is a major component of ASEAN and the future East Asia Community. China is willing to join other countries to support the development and implementation of ASEAN interconnection master plan and continue to increase infrastructure investment in ASEAN. Fifth, 10+3 countries should use their relative advantages in the fields of science, technology, culture and education to strengthen cooperation on environmental protection and energy efficiency technologies, communicable diseases joint researches, human resources development, cultural heritage protection and media. Sixth, 10+3 cooperation fund should be used at the earliest date possible to support the implementation of relevant cooperation projects in order to deepen the pragmatic cooperation of 10+3.
ASEAN members noted that China, Japan and South Korea have strengthened extensive cooperation with ASEAN through the 10+3 cooperation mechanism. With fruitful results and strong dynamism, such cooperation builds the core of regional cooperation. It greatly enhances the economic and trade strength, financial stability, food security, interconnection of infrastructure and personnel exchange of ASEAN members, improves their capacity and confidence of tackling challenges including the financial crisis, narrows down the development gap among countries, boosts ASEAN’s economic and social progress and integration process and brings about tangible benefits to people of all countries. ASEAN feels grateful for the help of China, Japan and South Korea and hopes to deepen the 10+3 cooperation, develop priority projects, expand mutual benefit and win-win outcome and promote peace, development and stability in the region.