Interview: China-ASEAN cooperation to go closer, deeper: Indonesian scholar

The cooperation between China and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) would go closer and deeper, and the China-ASEAN community with a shared future would play an important role in safeguarding multilateralism in the world, an Indonesian scholar said.

Yusuf Wanandi, co-founder and vice chairman of the Center for Strategic and International Studies, a well-known Indonesian think tank, made the remarks in a recent phone interview with Xinhua.

"The continuous deepening of China-ASEAN cooperation will strongly promote the economic recovery of Asia and even the world. I look forward to closer cooperation between China and ASEAN in all fields," Wanandi said.

He said the 17th China-ASEAN Expo and the concurrent China-ASEAN Business and Investment Summit, which was recently held in the southern Chinese city of Nanning, made incredible achievements, bringing new vitality to the building of China-ASEAN community with a shared future.

Wanandi said building a China-ASEAN community is a great idea, providing a suitable way for China and ASEAN countries to get along, adding, "Next year will mark the 30th anniversary of the establishment of China-ASEAN dialogue relations, which is an opportunity to deepen cooperation and build China-ASEAN community with a shared future in all fields with multiple measures."

Being a firm supporter for multilateralism, Wanandi said he believed that no country can solve all problems on its own, and that multilateralism is the only correct choice for all countries in the world.

Noting that the signing of the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) agreement was a victory for multilateralism, he said that however, the trade bloc would also face challenges.

"China and ASEAN should continue to deepen cooperation to push RCEP forward," he added.

According to Wanandi, a China-ASEAN community with a shared future serves as a good basis for regional cooperation, which is open and inclusive for other Asian countries such as Japan and South Korea.

The influential Indonesian scholar said the expanding Chinese consumer market would provide enormous opportunities for ASEAN countries.

The relations between China and ASEAN would become closer as more products from ASEAN countries flow into China, he said, adding that the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) demonstrates multilateralism and is also a bridge for China-ASEAN cooperation.

Wanandi expressed confidence about a prosperous future for China-ASEAN relations, and said that along with deepening economic and trade ties, the exchanges in the political and cultural fields would improve, and that the China-ASEAN community with a shared future would play an important role in safeguarding multilateralism in the world.