ASEAN to step up cooperation with Dialogue Partners
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Xinhua, November 19, 2011
Leaders from ASEAN, China, Japan and South Korea concluded the 14th ASEAN Plus Three Summit and ASEAN Plus One Summits here on Friday with pledge to boost ties and enhance cooperation in various fields.
At the 14th ASEAN+3 Summit, leaders inaugurated the ASEAN+3 Macroeconomic Research Office, signed ASEAN+3 Emergency Rice Reserve Agreement, and launched ASEAN Coordinating Centre for Humanitarian Assistance on Disaster Management.
Leaders from 10 ASEAN member states and Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao, Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda and South Korean President Lee Myung-Bak discussed deepening cooperation in defense and security as part of efforts to maintain regional peace and security, as well as the progress of the implementation of ASEAN+3 cooperation plan until 2017.
As the main cooperation mechanism in East Asia, the ASEAN+3 Summit is aimed to push forward regional cooperation.
"The spirit of ASEAN+3 mechanism has given rise to a larger economic architecture that we are now building. Without the Ten Plus Three, we would not attract such attention and interests around the world," Secretary-General of ASEAN Surin Pitsuwan told Xinhua.
The leaders from 10 ASEAN member states and Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao adopted the ASEAN-China Joint Leaders' Statement on the 14th ASEAN-China Summit as a Commemorative Summit, and launched the ASEAN-China Center aimed at increasing the two-way flow of investment, trade and tourists, as well as cultural and educational exchange between ASEAN and China.
They also discussed the efforts of ASEAN and China to maintain peace, security and stability in the region and reviewed the progress of the implementation of the Plan of Action for 2011-2015.
The ASEAN leaders and Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda adopted a Joint Declaration for Enhancing ASEAN-Japan Strategic Partnership for Prospering Together and ASEAN-Japan Action Plan for 2011-2015 at the ASEAN-Japan Summit.
Both parties also paid a specific attention to improving cooperation in natural disaster management and tackling transnational crimes.
The ASEAN leaders and South Korean President Lee Myung-Bak discussed the implementation of the Joint Declaration on ASEAN- South Korea Strategic Partnership for Peace and Prosperity and its Plan of Action for 2011-2015 at the 14th ASEAN-South Korea Summit.
Issues such as enhancing cooperation in agriculture such as food processing, storage and distribution were also touched on.
At the 3rd meeting between the leaders of ASEAN member states and U.S. President Barack Obama, efforts to increase cooperation to a strategic level, including the establishment of ASEAN-U.S. Eminent Person Group, political reform in Myanmar, the ASEAN Nuclear-Weapon Free Zone, as well as cooperation in eradicating terrorism were discussed.
ASEAN groups Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Thailand, Singapore and Vietnam.
