China-ASEAN new energy cooperation expanding: Chinese FM

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said new energy cooperation between China and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) is expanding, especially in the sector of new energy vehicles, while attending the ASEAN Post Ministerial Conference with China in the Lao capital Vientiane on Friday.

The foreign ministers of ASEAN and its dialog partners, including China, met to deepen ties, or in some cases, to try to defuse tensions.

ASEAN and China enjoy ever-strengthening economic ties, but also have some disputes, especially over the South China Sea.

But at least in the public portion of the ASEAN plus China meeting, the two parties focused on the positives, with ASEAN and China remaining as each others' biggest trading partners.

"In 2023, Chinese brands accounted for 67 percent of electric vehicle sales in ASEAN. The cooperation in clean energy, including wind power, hydropower and solar power, keeps expanding," he said.

A representative from Myanmar took part in the meetings, for the first time since the military seized power in 2021.

ASEAN had insisted Myanmar could only send a civilian representative, which the Southeast Asian country has finally agreed to do as it looks to reduce its isolation.

"Well, usually ASEAN's decision-making is hampered by its desire to reach a consensus. But in this Myanmar issue, I would say it's a very rare uniform voice," said Oh Ei Sun, a senior fellow with Singapore Institute of International Affairs.

Also on Friday, Wang met with his counterparts from Britain, South Korea and Japan, seeking common ground, while not shying away from raising difficult issues.

Saturday sees the meetings of the big regional groupings, the East Asia Summit and ASEAN Regional Forum, which bring together more than two dozen countries.

China-ASEAN new energy cooperation expanding: Chinese FM

China-ASEAN new energy cooperation expanding: Chinese FM

The Chinese capital of Beijing marked a significant milestone in expanding its trade connections with Central Asia on Wednesday morning, with the launch of its first ever freight train to Tashkent, the capital of Uzbekistan.

The train, carrying 90 20-foot equivalent units (TEUs) filled with exports, departed from Beijing's railway logistics center and will arrive in Tashkent in 14 days.

The cargoes carried by the train, valued at over 16 million yuan (about 2.2 million U.S. dollars), are mainly goods such as fresh air ventilators, compressors, engines, and thermostats, which are all made in the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region. This has also been a significant step toward the region's outward-oriented economic development.

"For the launch of this freight train, we have developed a customized transportation plan based on the needs of enterprises. As for organizing the transportation, we have prioritized planning, empty container allocation, loading and transportation, and customs clearance in a bid to establish a fast channel for the train's operation," said Zhang Shusheng, manager of the marketing department of Beijing's railway logistics center.

The opening of the train route will provide important support for the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region to strengthen economic ties with Central Asian countries and build high-quality Belt and Road cooperation.

The Central Asia freight trains connect major destinations in five Central Asian countries with various Chinese cities including Tianjin, Xi'an, Jinan, Hefei, and Lianyungang. Since July 2020, 32 dedicated freight train routes between China and Central Asia have been established.

Beijing launches first direct freight train to Central Asia