The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and China have always engaged in win-win cooperation, and ASEAN must learn from China's experience in promoting common prosperity and green development, said ASEAN Secretary-General Kao Kim Hourn.
Kao made the remarks while talking about the concept of "a community with a shared future for mankind" proposed by Chinese President Xi Jinping in a recent interview with the China Media Group (CMG).
President Xi proposed the vision of building a community with a shared future for mankind for the first time in 2013. The concept advocates for an equal and orderly multipolar world and a universally-beneficial and inclusive economic globalization, and upholds the principles of openness, inclusiveness, mutual benefit, win-win results, and fairness and justice.
On the ASEAN-China relations, Kao believes the foremost concern is long-term peace.
"For sure, I think, we have a shared future. Our future lies in making sure that we have long-term peace. We should never think that war and conflict are obsolete. So I think the shared future we have between ASEAN and China, I think President Xi Jinping, he wants to see long-term peace, I'm sure," he said.
Kao also touched the economic ties that have been central to the partnership between ASEAN and China. He affirmed that China's prosperity has always been a shared prosperity, particularly evident in their trade relations.
"The economic development, economic growth and transformation require a lot of constant innovation, constant re-thinking, constant leadership to look at how we can continue to invest in the economy, and the economy continues to grow to benefit the people. I think the prosperity in China has always been a shared prosperity. The fact that we have been doing a lot of trade together is a win-win cooperation."
The ASEAN secretary-general praised China's pioneering position in green development, and welcomed more investment from China in this area.
"What kind of future do we leave for our future generations? Again, this planet agenda, I think, is win-win together if we work together very closely. That's why we should welcome more green investment from China, we should welcome more participation of China in the renewable and clean energy in ASEAN, including turning waste into energy solutions project. I think China is already experienced in the technology there," he said.
For Kao, the foundation of a successful partnership lies in collaboration, and he believes President Xi is very visionary in this regard.
"It's all about partnership. We cannot do it alone. Some of the global issues today require more cooperation, more collaboration at the international level, as well as at the regional level. So that's why it is important for us, ASEAN and China, to work together for a shared future in that context. So I think what has been pronounced by President Xi Jinping, I'm sure that he is very visionary in that regard," he said.
ASEAN secretary-general speaks highly of concept of "shared future" in relations with China
