Show Time for Diamond Decade

The cooperation between China and ASEAN has frequently become the highlight since 2013. Hot words such as “Golden Decade” “Diamond Decade” are often repeated by media. The shift from “Golden Decade” to “Diamond Decade” vividly describes the upgrading of China-ASEAN cooperation. The vision of “Diamond Decade” is certainly much more eye-catching. More detailed discussion and comprehensive cooperation will be made in Diamond Decade base on China-ASEAN cooperation.

As the Chinese saying goes, "High buildings rise from hundreds of meters of base." The achievement made by China and ASEAN during the Golden Decade is the solid foundation for the future “Diamond Decade”. China and ASEAN have been working together for ten years and attained substantial outcomes benefiting people of both sides.

Under the background of “Golden Decade”, the upgraded version of the China-ASEAN Free Trade Area (CAFTA) is the precondition of realizing cooperation in more areas and at a higher level as well as one of the major focuses for forging the upgraded CAFTA. Since building the upgraded CAFTA was proposed in October 2013, the specific steps for implementation have become clear: to further reduce tariffs, abolish non-tariff measures, actively commence a new batch of negotiations for trade in services, promote pragmatic opening- up in investment field and facilitate the connectivity cooperation in highway, railway, waterway, aviation, telecom and energy and so on.

In addition, China-ASEAN maritime cooperation is an indispensable engine. China and Southeast Asia have built the "Maritime Silk Road” as early as 2,000 years ago. Chinese President Xi Jinping put forward to establish a good maritime partnership with ASEAN during his visits in ASEAN countries in 2013. His proposal of building a new Maritime Silk Road of the 21st century will raise China-ASEAN maritime cooperation to a new high level. Dr. Yang Qin, Ocean History Research Center at Guangdong Academy of Social Sciences said, the new Maritime Silk Road will be the “trade route”, “culture exchange channel” as well as the “path for peace dialogue” between China and ASEAN countries. Undoubtedly, the “Maritime Silk Road” of the 21st century will be one of the brightest colors in “Diamond Decade”.

If “Diamond Decade” of China and ASEAN is a carriage, then the upgraded CAFTA and the “Maritime Silk Road” of the 21st century will work as two wheels. In this way, the connectivity and financial cooperation in the region will serve as the important bearings to help the carriage ran fast. “With the deepened trade cooperation, financial cooperation will surely be put on the agenda even if financial construction is not included in the CAFTA,” said Li Xiangyang, director of National Institute of International Strategy at Chinese Academy of Social Sciences (NIIS CASS). Chinese government advocated to set up Asian infrastructure investment bank, which will be a major initiative for China-ASEAN economic integration and help facilitate China-ASEAN connectivity construction.

Standing at a new historical starting point, the “Diamond Decade” of China and ASEAN has begun step by step. Also, under the positive promotion by Chinese and ASEAN senior leaders, the frame of “Diamond Decade” is shown clearly and its show time will soon come.