FORMER President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo on Tuesday said the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) will continue to have a productive relationship with China noting of their continued cooperation and partnership for at least the past 30 years.

Speaking during the Third Manila Forum of the Association for Philippines-China Understanding (APCU) of which she is the Chairman Emeritus, Arroyo said despite the many challenges which include the coronavirus disease-19 (COVID 2019) pandemic, China remains to be the largest trading partner of ASEAN for the past 12 years.

“Today 15 years later on the 30th anniversary of Asean-China dialogue relations, China has become Asean’s largest trading partner for the past 12 years in a row,” Mrs. Arroyo said.

ASEAN, Arroyo added, has likewise benefited when China became an economic powerhouse with the many investments it has poured in the region for the past three decades.

“Today, China is on the cusp of becoming the largest economy in the world and we can expect beneficial effects on the economies of its neighbors in the region especially Asean,” she stated.

Arroyo said when she co-chaired the commemorative summit of the 15th anniversary of the ASEAN-China dialogue relations in Nanning, China in 2006 when she was President and Chair of Asean, she noted of the importance of keeping a close relationship with China especially in the area of trade cooperation.

“As chair of Asean then, I expressed how proud Asean was of the role Asean has played helping China integrate its economy and become an economic powerhouse. That role of China has helped Asean and our trade was surging with China and we were starting to see more Chinese investments in Asean. But after the 15th anniversary of the Asean-China dialogue, China has surged onto the world stage and Asean surged with it,” she added.

In the light of the challenges brought about by COVID-19 pandemic, Mrs. Arroyo said she is keen on seeing the regional comprehensive economic partnership come into force. This plan, she said, put focus on the need of the people with the deepening of Covid response cooperation.

“We need to promote high quality Belt and Road cooperation and forge partnership on digital economy, technological innovation, sustainable development and transition to green economy to help sustain regional economy,” she said.

Ambassador of China to the Philippines Huang Xilian told the forum, in his opening remarks, that China remains committed to deepening relations with Asean as he noted of the crucial role the Philippines has made has made facilitating greater cooperation the region.

He said the “China-Asean relation has grown into the most successful and vibrant model for collaboration.”

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Ryan Ponce Pacpaco