Prime Minister highlighted people-centred development in advancing into the new decade of security, prosperity, and sustainability at the ASEAN-China Special Summit to commemorate the 30th Anniversary of ASEAN-China Dialogue Relations.

On 22 November 2021, H.E. General Prayut Chan-o-cha, Prime Minister of Thailand, attended the ASEAN-China Special Summit to commemorate the 30th Anniversary of ASEAN-China Dialogue Relations via videoconference. The Special Summit was co-chaired by His Majesty Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah of Brunei Darussalam and President Xi Jinping of the People’s Republic of China. The Meeting congratulated the occasion of the 30th Anniversary and the establishment of a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership between ASEAN and China. The Meeting also reviewed the achievements throughout the past three decades and set out comprehensive cooperation for socio-economic recovery in the next phase.

The Prime Minister reiterated the national development vision which is people-centred with a view to elevating people’s quality of life and improving their capacities to be well-prepared for the 21st Century amidst the COVID-19 pandemic and other challenges. The Prime Minister suggested that ASEAN could learn from China’s achievements on poverty and hunger eradication as well as sustainable agriculture from upstream, mid-stream, to downstream, including in manufacturing, processing, and value-adding for agricultural products.

On economic security, the Prime Minister proposed that cooperation should focus on enhancing socio-economic resilience from the grassroots, including reforming learning process and developing potentials of people across all ages by utilising science, technology, and innovation to promote leapfrog socio-economic development. The Prime Minister also stressed strengthening of capacities of the business sector, particularly MSMEs, women entrepreneurs, and vulnerable group, to prepare them for the 4IR and digital transformation.

In addition, the Prime Minister reaffirmed Thailand’s commitment to continuing its proactive role in advancing cooperation on sustainable and environmentally-friendly development at both regional and global levels. He emphasised balance of all things and sustainability in all dimensions. He also proposed the Bio-Circular-Green (BCG) Economy Model as one of the approaches to achieve those goals.

The Meeting exchanged views on recent developments in the region. The Prime Minister reiterated the importance of maintaining regional peace, stability, and strategic equilibrium in the ASEAN-centred regional architecture. He also emphasised Thailand’s commitment to continue its constructive role in promoting win-win cooperation, as well as support the implementation of the Declaration of the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea (DOC) and the early conclusion of the Code of Conduct in the South China Sea (COC).

The Meeting adopted the Joint Statement of the ASEAN-China Special Summit to commemorate the 30th Anniversary of ASEAN-China Dialogue Relations.