Depth report

　　

If you look back at 2023, what will you remember about China's important neighborhood, ASEAN?

Economic ties are stronger

Let's start with markets and economics. On January 2, as soon as the door of 2023 opened, the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP), the world's largest free trade agreement initiated by the 10 ASEAN countries, ushered in a good start - effective for Indonesia; On June 2, the RCEP officially came into force for the Philippines, bringing it into force for all 15 member states, and the RCEP entering a new stage of full implementation.

This year, the ASEAN market also ushered in the "battle" of Chinese e-commerce, catering, tide play and new energy. In September, the Indonesian government's policy of separating social media and e-commerce suddenly made the closure and restart of TikTok Shop in Indonesia the most discussed topic at that time. At the same time, Malaysia, Vietnam and the Philippines also demanded to strengthen the supervision of TikTok or its e-commerce business at almost the same time. Going to sea is still a topic that requires deep learning.

Then, the Chinese coffee brand "Kudi" opened its stores to Singapore, Indonesia, Malaysia and Thailand, and the Chinese tea drinking brand "Xi Tea" and "Nai Xue's tea" also opened their first stores in Malaysia and Thailand, and the Chinese taste "swept" Southeast Asia. In addition, Bubble Mart has opened offline stores in Malaysia and Thailand, and Chinese enterprises can be described as "shining stars" in ASEAN countries.

In addition, on the new energy track in the hot ASEAN countries in 2023, whether it is an electric two-wheeled vehicle or an electric four-wheeled vehicle, you can see Chinese enterprises such as Yadi, Emma, Tailing, Luyuan, Niu, Knife, BYD, Nezha, the Great Wall, Wuling and so on.

In 2023, as the China-Asean Year of Agricultural Development and Food Security Cooperation, "digital technology", "green", "sustainable" and "poverty reduction" have become the key words of agricultural cooperation between the two sides under this theme year. In the same year, the China-Asean Free Trade Area version 3.0 negotiation was launched, and the institutional opening of the two markets boosted confidence in cooperation. This also makes the continued vitality of the Chinese and ASEAN markets in the context of the increasing ominous cloud of global economic recession, a hopeful bright spot under this gloomy cloud. Through 2023, China has remained ASEAN's largest trading partner for 14 consecutive years, and China and ASEAN have been each other's largest trading partner for three consecutive years, and the economic ties between the two sides have become stronger. In the first 11 months of 2023, China's trade with ASEAN totaled 5.8 trillion yuan, accounting for 15.3% of China's total foreign trade. Among ASEAN members, China's top three trading partners are Vietnam, Malaysia and Indonesia, in order.

Maintain dialogue amid change

Political and diplomatic exchanges are still frequent. The year 2023 marks the 10th anniversary of the Belt and Road Initiative, as well as the 65th anniversary of China-Cambodia diplomatic ties, the 10th anniversary of China-Malaysia comprehensive strategic partnership and the 10th anniversary of China-Indonesia comprehensive strategic partnership. During this year, Chinese leaders and leaders of ASEAN countries exchanged visits on several occasions. At the beginning of this year, then Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen paid a visit to China, fulfilling the "three-year commitment" he made after his "retro-traveling" visit to China during the COVID-19 epidemic. He became the first foreign leader to visit China after the Chinese Lunar New Year in 2023, bringing a spring breeze of warmth to the "hard-core" friendship between China and Cambodia.  Through dialogue and exchanges, China and ASEAN have actively sought the greatest common denominator of regional cooperation and contributed inexhaustible strength to regional stability and harmony.

This year, many ASEAN countries also ushered in the replacement and handover of old and new regimes. On March 2, "post-70s" Vu Van Thant was elected as the new president of Vietnam; On August 7, Hun Manay was appointed as the new Prime Minister of Cambodia, and on August 21, the new cabinet of the Cambodian government was born.  At the end of the year, the upcoming 2024 Indonesian election has become a hot topic on the Internet. For whether the eldest son of Indonesian President Joko Widodo can successfully shock the vice president's throne, people are concerned about the debate topics of presidential candidates such as "relocation of the capital" and "anti-corruption"; At the moment when Sino-Philippine relations "have stood at a crossroads", the speculation about whether former Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte and his daughter - the current vice president Sarah, who created the best period of Sino-Philippine relations, will run for president in the mid-term elections of the Philippines in 2025 is also hot. Regardless of the outcome of the election, the only thing we can predict from the various hot discussions, discussions, analysis and reports is that the "reshuffle" of the political situation in ASEAN countries will bring more new possibilities and opportunities for future China-Asean cooperation.

In the same year, Myanmar became the most discussed country among Chinese netizens, and topics such as telecom fraud, the situation in northern Myanmar and the war affected the hearts of Chinese netizens at any time; At the same time, in the past year, China-Philippines relations have been "cold" and "relaxed" several times, and the Philippines has become China's "wavering friend". Despite the turbulence and changes, China has persisted in dialogue with the Philippines to seek the best solution for the development of bilateral relations.

New trend of visa exemption

In the field of people-to-people exchanges between China and ASEAN in 2023, cross-border tourism must be mentioned. At the beginning of 2023, China officially began to pilot the resumption of national travel agencies and online tourism enterprises to operate Chinese citizens to the relevant countries outbound group tour and "air ticket + hotel" business, the pilot list, all the 10 ASEAN countries are listed, the first batch of Chinese tourists to travel to Southeast Asia at the airport by the entry country's high-level welcome. However, the enthusiastic start did not usher in the expected surge in the number of Chinese tourists, coupled with the impact of crime films and television works based on Southeast Asia, unexpected negative events, "Southeast Asia tourism can still go?" A cloud of doubt hangs over.

However, ASEAN countries still attach great importance to Chinese tourists. First, Thailand announced the implementation of a 5-month visa-free policy for Chinese tourists, and Malaysia officially announced that Chinese people can enjoy a 30-day visa-free entry convenience from December. On December 7, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance of Singapore Huang Xuncai revealed that New Zealand and China will pass a 30-day mutual visa waiver arrangement, and in the process of completing this review, the Prime Minister of Thailand announced that China and Thailand will be permanently visa-free from March 2024, and ASEAN visa-free countries have successively made up a series of films, in the process of Chinese tourists' "travel on demand" gradually becoming a reality. We have seen the positive actions taken by the two sides to promote exchanges and a fluid China and ASEAN.

This year, it is also worth mentioning the opening of Indonesia's Jakarta-Bandung high-speed railway, the first high-speed railway in ASEAN countries jointly built by China and Indonesia, through the mountains and mountains, bringing accessibility and convenience to the Indonesian people. "Made in China" in the "Thousand islands of the country", infrastructure connectivity has become an important carrier between countries to eliminate misunderstandings and bridge the gap, following the China-Laos railway, the power of China's railway once again expanded and extended, China-Indonesia relations have been a new leap, in the train day after day through the journey, in the passenger and passenger to the future, not only Indonesia, Southeast Asia will also understand China better.

Some people say that 2023 is a "magic" year, the world situation is turbulent, and the economic recovery after the epidemic is difficult, but in such a "magic", China and ASEAN, two old friends for many years, have only increased their political, economic and cultural exchanges, mutual understanding and integration. In 2024, we will usher in the China-Asean Year of People-to-people and Cultural Exchanges. I believe that with the hearts and minds of the people, the two sides will continue to move forward with far more certainty than uncertainty.

A new chapter is unfolding and 2024 is worth looking forward to.