Chairman's Statement of the 11th ASEAN-China Summit in Singapore, 20 Nov 2007

1. The 11th ASEAN-China Summit chaired by H.E. Lee Hsien Loong, Prime Minister of the Republic of Singapore, was held on 20 November 2007 in Singapore. The Heads of State/Government of ASEAN Member Countries had a substantive meeting with H.E. Wen Jiabao, Premier of the State Council of the People's Republic of China.

2. The Leaders of ASEAN congratulated China on the successful conclusion of the 17th National Congress of the Communist Party of China.

3. We acknowledged the important role that China has been playing in regional and global affairs and recognised that close ASEAN-China relations have contributed significantly to peace, stability and prosperity in the region and the world at large.

4. The ASEAN Leaders welcomed China's continued support for ASEAN's leading role in the regional processes, including ASEAN Plus Three, East Asia Summit, ASEAN Regional Forum and other regional fora, as well as its commitment to an open and inclusive approach to regional community building.

5. The ASEAN Leaders also welcomed China's contributions to ASEAN integration in order to realise the ASEAN Community and its support to narrow the development gap in ASEAN through contributions to the Initiative for ASEAN Integration (IAI) and its continued support as a Development Partner in the Brunei Darussalam-Indonesia-Malaysia-Philippines-East ASEAN Growth Area (BIMP-EAGA).

6. We noted progress in the implementation of the Joint Statement issued at the ASEAN-China Commemorative Summit last year in Nanning, China, to mark the 15th anniversary of ASEAN-China relations. We also noted the significant achievements to realize the Plan of Action to Implement the Joint Declaration of the Heads of State/ Government of ASEAN and the People's Republic of China on Strategic Partnership for Peace and Prosperity.

7. We agreed to include "environment" as the 11th priority area of cooperation between ASEAN and China, in addition to the 10 priority areas of cooperation between ASEAN and China.

8. We further reaffirmed our determination to the early and full implementation of the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea (DOC), towards the eventual adoption of a Regional Code of Conduct in the South China Sea.

9. We reiterated the need to promote transport infrastructure development and welcomed the signing of the ASEAN-China Maritime Transport Agreement and adoption of the ASEAN-China Aviation Cooperation Framework at the 6th ASEAN-China Transport Ministers Meeting in Singapore in November 2007.

10. We agreed to examine ways to promote tourism between ASEAN and China. In this regard, we tasked our Ministers and officials to expeditiously work towards a fully liberalised air services regime between ASEAN and China. We also reiterated our support for the completion of the Singapore-Kunming Rail Link (SKRL).

11. We noted the progress towards establishing the ASEAN-China Free Trade Area. With the Agreements on Trade in Goods and the Trade in Services having been completed, we urged the acceleration of the negotiations on the Investment Agreement, with the aim of concluding the negotiations in 2008.

12. The ASEAN Leaders also highlighted the need to promote two-way investments and urged China to encourage its business sector to invest in ASEAN. We noted the success of the 4th China-ASEAN EXPO and the 4th China-ASEAN Business and Investment Summit in Nanning, China, in October 2007, which promoted a wider network of trade and investment exchanges between ASEAN and China.

13. We welcomed the signing of the MOU on Sanitary and Phytosanitary Cooperation between ASEAN and China, and noted the successful convening of the inaugural ASEAN-China ministerial consultation on quality inspection in Nanning, China, in October 2007.

14. We instructed our officials to speed up discussions on the proposed MOU on Establishing the ASEAN-China Centre.

15. The ASEAN Leaders noted the proposals by China in the following areas.To conduct:
    a. an ASEAN-China Defence Scholars Exchange Programme;
    b. training courses on maritime accident investigation, as well as on Port State Control;
    c. training programmes to enhance human resource development;
    d. youth exchange programmes, including Youth Camps, Summer Camps and Youth Entrepreneur Forum; and
    e. an ASEAN-China workshop on Intellectual Property.To host:
    f. the 3rd ASEAN-China Information Communications Technology Week;
    g. an ASEAN-China Cultural Industry Forum;
    h. an ASEAN-China seminar on enhancing regional capacity for responding to catastrophe; and
    i. ASEAN-China Broadcasting Forum.To formulate:
    j. an ASEAN-China Environmental Protection Cooperation Strategy; and
    k. ASEAN-China Cultural Industry Interaction Programme.To establish:
    l. an ASEAN-China Ministerial process to discuss issues related to the environment;
    m. an ASEAN-China Environmental Protection Centre; and
    n. an ASEAN-China Information and Network Security Emergency Response Cooperation Framework.The ASEAN Leaders tasked their Ministers and officials to consider these proposals.

16. The Leaders of ASEAN reiterated their strong support for the Six-Party Talks to help resolve the nuclear issue on the Korean Peninsula. We noted the progress of the Six-Party Talks and welcomed the recent 3 October 2007 "Second-Phase Actions for the Implementation of the Joint Statement" of 19 September 2005. We reiterated that the denuclearisation of the Korean Peninsula is essential in maintaining peace and stability in the Asia-Pacific region and expressed our appreciation for the constructive role that China has played.

. . . . .

20 NOVEMBER 2007