Representatives attending the China-ASEAN Foreign Ministers' Meeting pose for a group photo in Manila, the Philippines, July 22, 2026. Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, co-hosted the meeting, which was attended by foreign ministers of ASEAN members as well as the secretary-general of the ASEAN. (Xinhua/Rouelle Umali)
MANILA, July 22 (Xinhua) -- Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi laid out tangible achievements of the China-ASEAN Comprehensive Strategic Partnership over the past five years as he attended the China-ASEAN Foreign Ministers' Meeting here Wednesday.
Wang, also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, outlined four major areas of progress cementing ties between the two sides.
Notably, the building of a community with a shared future with neighboring countries has steadily gained traction, as China has reached important common understandings with eight ASEAN member states on forming a community with a shared future bilaterally, according to him.
Economic and trade links have maintained upward momentum following the formal signing of the China-ASEAN Free Trade Area 3.0 Upgrade Protocol, Wang noted, citing the fact that China and ASEAN have remained each other's largest trading partners for six years running, with bilateral trade topping 1 trillion U.S. dollars in 2025.
Wang said that the two sides have also demonstrated solidarity amid crises, evidenced by China's swift emergency relief after powerful earthquakes hit Myanmar and Mindanao in the Philippines.
People-to-people exchanges have flourished, with almost 200 high-profile, well-received events held throughout the 2024-2025 ASEAN-China Year of People-to-People Exchanges and the rollout of a dedicated visa scheme for ASEAN countries to streamline cross-border travel, Wang added.
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