China's Navy aircraft carrier formation sails in the South China Sea, on April 18, 2018. [Photo/VCG] The situation in the South China Sea has stabilized and will remain stable as long as countries outside the region refrain from making troubles, State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi said on Tuesday. China and member countries of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations will speed up consultation on the Code of Conduct in the South China Sea on the basis of comprehensive and effective implementation of the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea, Wang said during a meeting with ASEAN Secretary-General Lim Jock Hoi. China believes that a new round of senior officials meetings, which will be held in China at the end of this month, will achieve new progress, Wang said. He emphasized that as long as outside forces stop making waves, consultations on the COC will push forward smoothly. The state councilor noted that China and ASEAN will work out the China-ASEAN Strategic Partnership Vision 2030 to make medium-and long-term plan for future cooperation. That 2018 is China-ASEAN Innovation Year will provide new driving forces for bilateral relations and their respective development, Wang said. China and ASEAN will also strengthen the synergy between the Belt and Road Initiative and ASEAN's development plan like the Master Plan on ASEAN Connectivity 2025 to explore new areas for bilateral cooperation, he added. This year marks the 15th anniversary of the establishment of the China-ASEAN strategic partnership. In 2003, China became the first country to join the Treaty of Amity and Cooperation in Southeast Asia and establish a strategic partnership with ASEAN. It was also the first country, in 2002, to sign a free trade agreement with ASEAN and has led other major countries to pay more attention to and accelerate their relations with ASEAN, according to Wang. The ASEAN secretary-general said that China is the most dynamic strategic partner of ASEAN, and the ASEAN Secretariat will play a positive role in deepening the cooperation between both sides in areas like politics, economy and people-to-people exchanges. According to the Commerce Ministry, bilateral trade volume between China and ASEAN reached $514.8 billion last year. China is ASEAN's largest trade partner and ASEAN is China's third-largest trade partner. wristband makermake your own rubber braceletrubber wristbands in bulkwristbands with tabsthe wristband factory
The central government's policies on Hong Kong and Macao will remain unchanged beyond all doubt, a senior official said on Friday in response to concerns over the omission of some routine terms from the Government Work Report.Delivering the report at the first session of the 13th National People's Congress on Monday, Premier Li Keqiang said the central government would continue to uphold the one country, two systems principle.However, he did not use the routine terms Hong Kong people governing Hong Kong, Macao people governing Macao or high degree of autonomy when speaking about the two special administrative regions.On Friday, Zhang Xiaoming, director of the State Council's Hong Kong and Macao Affairs Office, said the central government would continue to implement the one country, two systems principle, as upholding it was listed as one of the fundamental policies formulated at the 19th National Congress of the Communist Party of China in October for developing socialism with Chinese characteristics for the new era.Being listed as part of basic policy means upholding the principle is a long-term task, Zhang said, adding that he hopes people will not misinterpret the situation.The principle already includes the connotation that Hong Kong people govern Hong Kong, Macao people govern Macao and both regions have a high degree of autonomy, he said.Work related to the two SARs is conducted with the emphasis on fully and faithfully understanding and implementing the one country, two systems principle, he said.The principle has achieved great success and won wide recognition at home and abroad, Zhang said.Why would the central government change the policy, given that it has been a success and widely supported by people in Hong Kong, Macao and the Chinese mainland? he asked.Zhang said he sees promising prospects in the development of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, a national-level issue that is receiving key attention from the central government.He quoted President Xi Jinping, who spoke at a meeting of the Guangdong provincial delegation to the NPC on Friday: Development of the bay area must be well handled.Zhang said he is confident about the bay area project and expects the area to become a world-class innovation and technology hub.He Lifeng, minister of the National Development and Reform Commission, the top economic planner, called the bay area project a millennium plan when speaking with journalists on Friday, and said it should be more efficient, orderly and effective in the next stage.It is necessary to plan well, especially in terms of industrial development, transportation and ecological environment, he said.Carrie Qiu contributed to this story.
