ASEAN, China mark 15th anniversary of strategic partnership
A ceremony to mark the 15th anniversary of ASEAN - China Strategic Partnership was held at the ASEAN Secretariat headquarters in Jakarta, Indonesia, on July 12.
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| Officials pose for a photo at the 15th anniversary of ASEAN - China Strategic Partnership |
Currently, China is the largest trade partner of ASEAN and helps the grouping develop smart cities, Lim said.
On the occasion, a photo exhibition commemorating the 15th anniversary of ASEAN - China Strategic Partnership opened. Themed “Living in Harmony”, the event brings vivid images on the land and people of China and ASEAN member countries to visitors.
China, the first country signing the strategic partnership with ASEAN, is the biggest trade partner of the grouping, while ASEAN is the third largest partner of China.
Trade volume between the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and China hit a record high in 2017, according to the Chinese Ministry of Commerce.
Bilateral trade totalled US$514.8 billion last year, up 13.8 percent year on year. China's exports to ASEAN countries reached US$279.1 billion in 2017, up 9 percent year on year, while imports grew 20 percent year-on-year to stand at US$235.7 billion.
ASEAN – the Association of Southeast Asian Nations – groups Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam.
