VIENTIANE: Asean today reaffirmed the importance of maintaining peace and stability in the South China Sea in accordance with universally recognised international law principles, including the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).
This assertion was made by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim while delivering a joint statement on behalf of Asean at the 27th Asean-China Summit held at the National Convention Centre (NCC) here.
The prime minister, who is representing Malaysia as the coordinating country for Asean-China dialogue relations, urged for the conclusion of the Code of Conduct (COC) in the South China Sea as soon as possible.
He also welcomed China's support in energy transition efforts and encouraged cooperation in new technologies, such as robotics and artificial intelligence (AI).
"Asean welcomes the Joint Statement on Strengthening Cooperation in People-to-People Exchanges and China's proposal to extend the Asean-China Year of People-to-People Exchanges until 2025," he said.
He noted that Asean and China have been each other's largest trading partners since 2020, with total trade reaching USD 696.7 billion (RM 2.99 trillion) in 2023.
The 27th Asean-China Summit is part of the 44th and 45th Asean Summits and related meetings taking place here.