China hosts “ASEAN foreign ministers meeting”

Contents

• 1
• 2 What is the news?
• 3 Key Focus of the ASEAN foreign ministers meeting:
• 4 Significance of this ASEAN foreign ministers meeting:
• 5 China and ASEAN Cooperation:
• 6 About ASEAN:

What is the news?

China is hosting ASEAN foreign ministers meeting this year. This year (2021) also marks the 30^th anniversary of the dialogue relations between China and the 10-member ASEAN countries. Association of Southeast Asian Nations

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Key Focus of the ASEAN foreign ministers meeting:

The meeting will focus on

• Combating COVID-19
• Promoting economic recovery
• Discussing the proposal of vaccine passport connecting China and ASEAN countries

Significance of this ASEAN foreign ministers meeting:

• This meeting comes in the backdrop of China criticizing the Quad (India, Australia, Japan and the United States grouping) during recent visits to Sri Lanka and Bangladesh.
• China’s Defence Minister has called on both countries to reject “military alliances” — a term that China is using to describe the Quad but a label that the Quad group rejects.

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China and ASEAN Cooperation:

• China and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations(ASEAN) countries established a strategic partnership in 2005.
• China-ASEAN free trade zone was formally established in the year 2010.
• China and ASEAN countries are a part of the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) trade deal.
• China has been ASEAN’s largest trade partner for 12 consecutive years. On the other hand, ASEAN became China’s largest trade partner in 2020.
• China has pledged to deliver 100 million doses of the Sinovac Covid-19 vaccine to ASEAN nations. Apart from that, China will also provide other pandemic-fighting materials and technical help to tackle the Covid-19 pandemic in ASEAN Countries.

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About ASEAN:

• ASEAN is a regional grouping that was established in 1967 with the signing of the Bangkok Declaration.
• Members: Indonesia, Thailand, Singapore, Malaysia, The Philippines, Vietnam, Myanmar, Cambodia, Brunei, and Laos.
• Headquarters: Jakarta, Indonesia.

Source: The Hindu