Li Keqiang attends the launch ceremony of the 15th anniversary of the establishment of the China-ASEAN strategic partnership and delivers a keynote speech

　　JAKARTA, May 7 (Xinhua) -- Chinese Premier Li Keqiang attended the launch ceremony of the 15th anniversary celebration of the establishment of China-ASEAN strategic partnership and delivered a keynote speech at the ASEAN Secretariat in Jakarta on the afternoon of May 7, local time.

　　Li Keqiang stated that China and ASEAN are good neighbors, good friends, and good partners. The importance of China-ASEAN cooperation has transcended bilateral scope and is increasingly becoming a support and engine for maintaining regional peace and stability and promoting regional common prosperity. This year marks the 15th anniversary of the establishment of the China-ASEAN strategic partnership. In the past 15 years, we have upheld mutual trust and shared weal and woe, worked together to cope with the international financial crisis, successfully combated major natural disasters, and maintained regional peace, development, and prosperity. China has always prioritized ASEAN in its peripheral diplomacy, firmly developing friendly cooperation with ASEAN, supporting ASEAN Community building, supporting ASEAN's central role in regional cooperation, and supporting ASEAN in playing a greater role in building an open and inclusive regional architecture.

　　Li Keqiang pointed out that this year marks the 40th anniversary of China's reform and opening up and the beginning of ASEAN's second 50 years. Last month, President Xi Jinping proposed new initiatives for creating a shared future and new measures for expanding opening up at the Boao Forum for Asia Annual Conference 2018. China's development will bring new and greater opportunities to countries around the world, including ASEAN. China is willing to work with ASEAN countries to build a closer community of shared future, jointly shape a new future for China-ASEAN cooperation, and jointly write a new chapter in China-ASEAN cooperation.

　　Li Keqiang stressed that China is willing to be a partner with ASEAN in building peace, advocating a new security concept of common, comprehensive, cooperative, and sustainable security, and building an ASEAN-centered, open, and inclusive Asia-Pacific security architecture. Steadily advance consultations on the "Code of Conduct in the South China Sea," making the South China Sea a sea of peace, friendship, and cooperation.

　　—China is willing to be an open and win-win partner with ASEAN. Jointly promote the early conclusion of the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) agreement with ASEAN, build an East Asian Economic Community, and promote the liberalization and facilitation of trade and investment.

　　—China is willing to be a pioneering and innovative partner with ASEAN. Seize the opportunities brought about by the new round of technological and industrial revolution, promote the "Internet +" and "mass entrepreneurship and innovation" experience in ASEAN, and jointly build new heights of innovative development.

　　—China is willing to be an inclusive and mutually beneficial partner with ASEAN. Jointly cultivate the spirit of China-ASEAN cooperation of mutual trust, mutual understanding, mutual benefit, and mutual assistance.

　　ASEAN representatives expressed their gratitude for Premier Li Keqiang's visit to the ASEAN Secretariat and attendance at the launch ceremony, which demonstrates China's firm support for ASEAN. China has always been an important partner of ASEAN. China's support has strongly promoted ASEAN's integration process, helped ASEAN narrow its internal development gap, and deepened the friendship between the two peoples. ASEAN is willing to continue strengthening economic and trade cooperation with China, explore new cooperation in innovation and the digital economy, strengthen mutual learning and understanding, achieve common prosperity and mutual benefit and win-win results, and enrich the content of the strategic partnership. ASEAN appreciates China's commitment to maintaining an open and rules-based multilateral trading system, congratulates China on its tremendous achievements in reform and opening up, and believes that China's broad development prospects will not only benefit its own country but also bring benefits to the region.

　　Subsequently, Li Keqiang, together with ASEAN Secretary-General Lim Jock Hoi and Singapore's Permanent Representative to ASEAN, Chen Hancheng, jointly launched the 15th anniversary celebration of the establishment of the China-ASEAN strategic partnership. More than 200 people attended the ceremony, including representatives from the ASEAN Secretariat, embassies of various countries in ASEAN, and think tanks and media.

　　Xiao Jie and He Lifeng also participated in the above activities.