BEIJING — Ten plus one. This is not a simple arithmetic addition but it is a numeric short name for the ASEAN Plus One with China as a dialog partner. Ten, of course, refers to the member states of the Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN), namely in alphabetical order, Brunei Darus-salam, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singa-pore, Thailand and Vietnam.
Actually, this numeric symbol of ASEAN Plus One is not limited to China only. There is also ASEAN Plus One with Japan and ASEAN Plus One with South Korea. The three countries put together comprise the ASEAN Plus 3. Each of these three dialog partners of ASEAN conduct their own ASEAN Plus One programs and projects in various fields and areas, including an exchange visit of ASEAN journalists. I was earlier invited to represent the Philippines in the ASEAN-South Korea Journalists Exchange Program in 1999 while I was still pounding the Malacañang Palace beat as a reporter.
This is my second time of being invited to represent our country in the ASEAN-China Joint Press Delegation. The first time was in August 2006 while Beijing was still in the thick of preparations for their hosting of the 29th Olympic Games. At that time, many of the sports venues and facilities for the Beijing Olympics were still under construction. Now almost two years later, I came back to see these new mega-structures from the Bird’s Nest to the Bubble Cube among the 37 Olympic venues for the various sports competitions all completed and ready for the biggest sports events this year.
Despite a double-digit growth rate of more than 12 percent last year in their gross domestic product, China still considers and affiliates itself with ASEAN as a fellow developing nation. Assistant Secretary Ye Hafei impressed upon us during our courtesy call last Tuesday in his office here at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs that the upcoming Olympics would be an opportunity for China to promote and share the sports theme “One World, One Dream” with the participation of more than 185 countries and some 80 world leaders who confirmed their attendance in the opening ceremonies on Aug. 8.
The 80 world leaders are heads of government, heads of state, royalty or their designated representatives and Ministers of Sports under the classification of the International Olympic Committee as very important persons (VIPs). To date, Minister Ye disclosed among those who confirmed their attendance include US President George W. Bush, Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd and even our very own President Arroyo have accepted the invitation of Beijing to attend the opening ceremonies of the Olympics here.
Speaking of Australia, Ye personally expressed his reservations against the proposed Asia-Pacific Community that Prime Minister Rudd has put forward recently. Ye pointed out the creation of another new grouping might be redundant to the regional architecture already existing and working effectively. While China is “open-minded” to this proposal, Ye echoed concerns that the new grouping might “undercut” the existing regional setup like those in the ASEAN Plus 3, the ASEAN-East Asia Summit, and the ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF).
Rudd’s proposal obviously targets to bring in the US, Japan, China and South Korea among the major super powers into this new regional architecture. I share the views of Minister Ye that putting up the proposed Asia-Pacific Community, which Rudd plans to see set up by 2015, would be superfluous. For one, there is already the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) that could be turned into more productive forum to bring about benefits to the member economies in more concrete and tangible terms. As it operates right now, the APEC’s only output is holding an annual leaders’ summit where they come out with motherhood statements at the end of each meeting.
By the way, Australia, along with New Zealand and India are part of the ASEAN-East Asia Summit that regularly meets back-to-back with the ASEAN Leaders’ Summit and the ASEAN Plus 3. This year’s summits of these groups are slated to be held in Bangkok in December this year where the ratification of the ASEAN Charter is on top of their agenda. Although the United States does not have its ASEAN Plus One arrangement, it is also a dialog partner of the ASEAN. In fact, the US beat China in appointing a special ambassador for US-ASEAN Affairs.
Ye, however, announced to us that Beijing would also appoint soon a special ambassador for the ASEAN Plus China. And with added bonus information that Beijing is now working out the possible grant of ASEAN Development Fund that China would provide a financial scheme in support of ASEAN-related programs and projects in each individual 10 member-states.
For now, Ye informed us that China is strongly pushing for the full implementation of the ASEAN Free Trade Area (AFTA) by 2010 under the agreed timetable set by the ASEAN member states themselves. Amid the current oil price crisis and the severe fluctuation in the international markets, Ye said Beijing believes AFTA would help install a “buffer” to cushion each and every economy of the ASEAN and its neighboring countries like China.
This is how, Ye pointed out, China values its ties with the ASEAN and gives top priority to its bilateral ties to each and every member state of this regional bloc. As a group of developing nations, the ASEAN has been demonstrating its centrality in this part of the world. Although military might is not the kind of “force” that they have collectively, the ASEAN has shown they are solid, cohesive regional bloc together. So China takes its role seriously as a dialog partner of the ASEAN.
Thus, the Ten Plus One is not some numeric symbol as far as Beijing is concerned. These numbers translate to more than addition but multiplication of beneficial goods it could give and provide to the peoples of these developing nations growing together in peace and prosperity, Ye stressed. Cheers to the ASEAN!