China’s dream

MANILA, Philippines - China is preparing to be a world power and Chinese leaders are enhancing the strategy to further improve cooperation with its Asian neighbors to promote economic development and progress among the peoples in the region.

Liu Yunshan, a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China, recently said that the Chinese government gives priority to its relations with neighboring countries.

“The basic diplomatic strategy is amicable and prosperous relations, sincere relations with other countries,” Liu told journalists who participated in the Sixth 10+3 Media Cooperation Forum that was held on Dec. 6 in Kunming in Yunnan province in southwestern China.

The delegates from the various media organizations of member nations of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and South Asia paid a courtesy call on Liu at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing following the forum.

“We have differences but we could build a consensus to overcome the differences,” Liu said.

He said the Chinese dream is to make a moderately prosperous society and achieve progress for China and the other countries in Asia.

“The Chinese dream and Asian dream are consistent with a better life for all people, the road of reform and common development,” Liu added. 

He said that the media had a major role in promoting cooperation and better relations between China and its neighbors.

The 10+3 Media Cooperation Forum was launched in 2007 to enhance friendship and peaceful relations among Asian countries.

The Sixth 10+3 Media Cooperation Forum in Kunming organized by China’s People’s Daily and the Yunnan Daily Press Group was attended by journalists from the ASEAN member countries like the Philippines, Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia, Myanmar, Laos, Vietnam, Brunei, Cambodia and Thailand, plus China, Japan, South Korea, Nepal, Pakistan and Bangladesh.

The delegates discussed areas of mutual cooperation between media organizations and exchange of information.

Danny Chian Siong Lee, director of Community Affairs Development of the ASEAN Secretariat, said the media reflects and shapes opinions of society.

“As for the 10+3 Forum, I see it as a valuable platform for ASEAN media to engage its East Asian counterparts,” said Lee.

He also said it is important for the media to engage, understand and talk to each other.

“If we allow opinions to deteriorate down to the people level, we will have an extremely hard time to bring it back to normal levels, let alone friendly levels. Like it or not, our economic futures are tied to developments in China, and especially the Chinese economy,” said Lee.

Lee said ASEAN has reiterated its positive relationship with China in the recent ASEAN Summit.

The 14th ASEAN-China Joint Cooperation Committee (ACJCC) Meeting was held in Jakarta, Indonesia last March 15 to review ASEAN-China relations and cooperation over the past year.

The meeting focused on the implementation of ASEAN-China joint cooperation projects and activities in politics-security, economics and culture-society, as well as initiatives and outcomes of the 15th ASEAN-China Summit.

It reviewed the proposed commemorative activities to celebrate the 10th anniversary of the ASEAN-China strategic partnership.

China had expressed its strong commitment to support the implementation of projects and activities within the framework of the ASEAN-China Plan of Action (2011-2015) and efforts to build the ASEAN Community.

The meeting focused on how to further strengthen the cooperation and ASEAN-China connectivity.

Lee said the 10+3 media cooperation forum gives journalists from the region an opportunity to share experiences on the development of their own countries and Asia as a whole.

“China has its own vision of development, which is similar to the vision of ASEAN members and other countries in the region, and the forum has provided an important opportunity to learn from one another’s experiences and share one another’s views on this theme,” Lee said.