2015年CRI China, ASEAN Eye Further Cooperation

 

Addressing the 18th China-ASEAN leaders' meeting in Kuala Lumpur, Premier¹ Li Keqiang started by hailing the achievements in bilateral² trade and cultural exchange against the backdrop of a global slowdown.

"During the downturn in international trade, bilateral trade volume between China and ASEAN in the January-October period reached 379.2 billion U.S. dollars, with mutual³ investment exceeding 150 billion U.S. dollars. The number of exchange students between the two sides exceeded 180,000."

Upon his arrival on Friday, Li Keqiang said China and the ASEAN countries have linked destinies, shared interests and feelings.

As ASEAN's biggest trading partner, Li Keqiang pledged that China will deepen diplomatic ties with the bloc⁴.

"China always considers its relations with ASEAN as the priority in China's diplomacy⁵ with its neighbours. China firmly supports the improvement of ASEAN's integration⁶ and the establishment of an ASEAN community, and supports ASEAN's central position in regional co-operation."

The ASEAN Community, comprised of political-security, economic and socio-cultural pillars, is expected to take shape by the end of this year.

Founded in 1967, ASEAN consists of 10 countries in Southeastern Asia.

Seven of them are continental⁷ or maritime⁸ neighbors of China.

And China was the first country to establish a strategic partnership⁹ with ASEAN, and the first non-ASEAN signatory to the ASEAN Treaty of Amity¹⁰ and Cooperation.

Malaysia holds the ASEAN rotating chair this year.

Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak says China's continued support and contribution to regional initiatives are proof of its commitment to the region.

"China's continuous support for ASEAN-China co-operation is self-evident. Further, China's substantial contribution to regional initiatives, including closer ASEAN integration, to the master plan on ASEAN connectivity, as well as to narrow the development divide within ASEAN through the initiative of ASEAN integration, are further testimony¹¹ to China's commitment to the region."

Discussions at Saturday's meeting also focused on ways to upgrade the China-ASEAN free trade area, promote Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership and implement¹² the China-proposed 21st Century Maritime Silk Road initiative.

For CRI, I'm Luo Wen.

1 premier   

adj.首要的；n.总理，首相

参考例句：

• The Irish Premier is paying an official visit to Britain.爱尔兰总理正在对英国进行正式访问。
• He requested that the premier grant him an internview.他要求那位总理接见他一次。

2 bilateral   

adj.双方的，两边的，两侧的

参考例句：

• They have been negotiating a bilateral trade deal.他们一直在商谈一项双边贸易协定。
• There was a wide gap between the views of the two statesmen on the bilateral cooperation.对双方合作的问题，两位政治家各自所持的看法差距甚大。

3 mutual   

adj.相互的，彼此的；共同的，共有的

参考例句：

• We must pull together for mutual interest.我们必须为相互的利益而通力合作。
• Mutual interests tied us together.相互的利害关系把我们联系在一起。

4 bloc   

n.集团；联盟

参考例句：

• A solid bloc of union members support the decision.工会会员团结起来支持该决定。
• There have been growing tensions within the trading bloc.贸易同盟国的关系越来越紧张。

5 diplomacy   

n.外交；外交手腕，交际手腕

参考例句：

• The talks have now gone into a stage of quiet diplomacy.会谈现在已经进入了“温和外交”阶段。
• This was done through the skill in diplomacy. 这是通过外交手腕才做到的。

6 integration   

n.一体化，联合，结合

参考例句：

• We are working to bring about closer political integration in the EU.我们正在努力实现欧盟內部更加紧密的政治一体化。
• This was the greatest event in the annals of European integration.这是欧洲统一史上最重大的事件。

7 continental   

adj.大陆的，大陆性的，欧洲大陆的

参考例句：

• A continental climate is different from an insular one.大陆性气候不同于岛屿气候。
• The most ancient parts of the continental crust are 4000 million years old.大陆地壳最古老的部分有40亿年历史。

8 maritime   

adj.海的，海事的，航海的，近海的，沿海的

参考例句：

• Many maritime people are fishermen.许多居于海滨的人是渔夫。
• The temperature change in winter is less in maritime areas.冬季沿海的温差较小。

9 partnership   

n.合作关系，伙伴关系

参考例句：

• The company has gone into partnership with Swiss Bank Corporation.这家公司已经和瑞士银行公司建立合作关系。
• Martin has taken him into general partnership in his company.马丁已让他成为公司的普通合伙人。

10 amity   

n.友好关系

参考例句：

• He lives in amity with his neighbours.他和他的邻居相处得很和睦。
• They parted in amity.他们很友好地分别了。

11 testimony   

n.证词；见证，证明

参考例句：

• The testimony given by him is dubious.他所作的证据是可疑的。
• He was called in to bear testimony to what the police officer said.他被传入为警官所说的话作证。

12 implement   

n.(pl.)工具，器具；vt.实行，实施，执行

参考例句：

• Don't undertake a project unless you can implement it.不要承担一项计划，除非你能完成这项计划。
• The best implement for digging a garden is a spade.在花园里挖土的最好工具是铁锹。