ASEAN Secretary-General Kao Kim Hourn (left) meets with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi on July 21. (Source: ASEAN.org)

As reported by China’s Xinhua News Agency, during his meeting with ASEAN Secretary-General Kao Kim Hourn, Wang Yi affirmed that China has always upheld the equality of all countries and pursued a policy of good-neighborliness and friendship toward neighboring nations.

Wang noted that this year marks the 50th anniversary of the Treaty of Amity and Cooperation in Southeast Asia (TAC). China was the first major country to accede to the treaty, encouraging other major countries to follow suit and significantly enhancing ASEAN's international standing. China will continue to support the building of the ASEAN Community and the association's pursuit of unity and self-reliance.

In addition, Wang said this year also marks the fifth anniversary of the establishment of the China-ASEAN Comprehensive Strategic Partnership, a key year connecting past achievements with future cooperation. According to him, the world is undergoing profound transformations intertwined with turbulence, yet East Asia has generally maintained prosperity and stability. This is an achievement that has not come easily and should be cherished by all parties.

The Foreign Minister stressed that China stands ready to work with ASEAN to deepen mutual trust, strengthen mutual understanding and support, safeguard the common interests of China and ASEAN, uphold the legitimate rights and interests of the Global South, and promote the development of a fairer and more equitable international order.

For his part, Kao Kim Hourn highly valued ASEAN-China relations and the tangible outcomes of cooperation between the two sides. He also thanked China for its steadfast support for ASEAN centrality in the regional structure.

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