Enhancing regional connectivity, advancing economic integration high on agenda of ASEAN Summits

Enhancing regional infrastructure connectivity and advancing economic integration are high on the agenda of the 44th and 45th ASEAN Summits and Related Summits running from Oct 8 to 11 in Vientiane, the capital of Laos.

Under the theme "ASEAN: Enhancing Connectivity and Resilience," the summits, gathering around 2,000 delegates and approximately 1,000 journalists, feature more than 20 meetings. Discussions will focus on enhancing regional infrastructure connectivity, narrowing the development gap, advancing economic integration, and promoting people-to-people exchanges to strengthen relations between ASEAN member countries and other nations while addressing current opportunities and challenges.

The meetings will be attended by heads of state and government from ASEAN member countries, dialogue partner countries and external partner countries, as well as representatives of regional and international organizations.

Economic and trade exchanges between China and ASEAN have become increasingly closer over the past years, with China remaining as ASEAN's largest trading partner for 15 years since 2009. The latest statistics from China's General Administration of Customs show that ASEAN has been China's largest trading partner in the first eight months of 2024, with a 10 percent year-on-year increase in the volume of imports and exports from China to ASEAN.

Participants said that promoting the high-quality development of the Belt and Road Initiative, strengthening cooperation in various sectors under the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership, and advancing negotiations on a new round of upgrades for the China-ASEAN Free Trade Area will create new opportunities for the integration of regional economies.

"With this regional integration, with logistics and the Belt and Road Initiative, we can bring ASEAN to be the center point as a hub or center for the big company to open their headquarters or manufacturing hub in ASEAN or Laos. Apart from that it also provides opportunities for technology transfer and human resource development, because integrating with the advanced economies like China, Japan, South Korea, Australia and others will help the local economy learn from the advanced technologies," said Thanongsinh Kanlaya, executive vice chairman of the Lao National Chamber of Commerce and Industry.

"Advancing regional integration could help reduce costs and taxes, which has allowed us to mobilize the entire industrial chain in Laos and the surrounding countries," said Wu Xinghua, executive vice chairman of the Lao-Chinese Chamber of Commerce.

Enhancing regional connectivity, advancing economic integration high on agenda of ASEAN Summits

Enhancing regional connectivity, advancing economic integration high on agenda of ASEAN Summits

Chinese State Councilor Shen Yiqin attended a reception celebrating the 75th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Russia at the Russian embassy in Beijing on Tuesday.

Shen, also the Chinese chairman of the China-Russia Committee on Humanities Cooperation, said that under the guidance of the important consensus reached by the two heads of state, China is willing to work with Russia to take the opportunity of celebrating the 75th anniversary of China-Russia diplomatic ties and the China-Russia Years of Culture to deepen cooperation in various fields and create more benefits for both peoples.

Russian Ambassador to China Igor Morgulov said Russia stands ready to further deepen its traditional friendship with China and push for greater development of Russia-China relations.

Chinese state councilor, Russian ambassador celebrate 75 years of diplomatic relations