1. The Ninth ASEAN-China Summit was successfully convened on 12 December 2005 chaired by the Honourable Dato' Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, the Prime Minister of Malaysia. The Leaders of ASEAN held a productive meeting with His Excellency Wen Jiabao, Premier of the People's Republic of China.

2. We reviewed the developments in ASEAN-China relations during the past year. We noted that the close ASEAN-China relations have much to offer for regional peace and prosperity. We also noted the satisfactory progress achieved in the implementation of the Plan of Action to Implement the Joint Declaration of the Heads of State/ Government of ASEAN and China on Strategic Partnership for Peace and Prosperity.

3. We endorsed five new priority areas of cooperation, namely energy, transport, culture, public health and tourism, in addition to the existing five priority areas of agriculture, information technology, two-way investment, human resources development and Mekong River Basin Development.

4. The ASEAN Leaders welcomed China's initiative to provide another USD 5 billion of preferential loans to support projects invested by Chinese companies in ASEAN Member Countries. In the past 5 years, China has provided nearly USD 3 billion of economic assistance and concessional credit to ASEAN Member Countries. The ASEAN Leaders noted the announcement by China that it would offer USD 10 billion of concessional loans and preferential export buyer's credit to developing countries. We also noted, with appreciation, that about one third of the loan will be provided to the ASEAN Member Countries.

5. We agreed on the need to strengthen cooperation on energy security, particularly on large-scale development of alternative and renewable energy sources, intensifying oil and gas exploration, and promotion of energy conservation and energy efficiency.


6. We agreed to commemorate the 15th Anniversary of ASEAN-China Dialogue Relations next year and call 2006 as the "Year of Friendship and Cooperation between ASEAN and China". In this regard, we endorsed a list of commemorative activities to celebrate the 15th Anniversary of our dialogue relations. We strongly encouraged public participation in the commemorative activities. We agreed to convene the ASEAN-China Commemorative Summit next year to reaffirm our commitment to further enhance the strategic partnership and substantive cooperation.

7. We underscored the value of tourism to our economies and agreed to examine ways to promote tourism such as through mutual visa exemptions and open skies policy. In this regard, we tasked our Ministers and Senior Officials to study the matter.

8. We noted, with appreciation, the Report of the ASEAN-China Eminent Persons Group (ACEPG) on the review of the ASEAN-China dialogue relations in the past 15 years and the short and medium and long-term measures proposed to consolidate the partnership in the next 15 years and beyond. We tasked our Ministers and Senior Officials to study the measures and make appropriate recommendations for the implementation of these measures through the ASEAN-China cooperation framework.

9. We also exchanged views on regional and international political and economic issues of common interest and concern. In this regard, the Leaders of ASEAN commended China's active and important role in promoting the Six-Party Talks on the nuclear issue on the Korean Peninsula. We noted that the Six-Party Talks had significantly contributed to the quest for a peaceful and comprehensive solution to the nuclear issue on the Korean Peninsula.

10. We welcomed the progress made by ASEAN and China towards the full implementation of the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea (DoC) as we look forward to the eventual conclusion of a regional code of conduct in the South China Sea. We noted that the ASEAN-China Senior Officials' Meeting on the Implementation of the DoC in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia in December 2004 had established the ASEAN-China Joint Working Group on the Implementation of the DoC (ACJWG). We welcomed the convening of the First ACJWG in August 2005 in Manila, the Philippines and look forward to the convening of the Second ACJWG in Sanya, China in February 2006.

11. We noted with satisfaction the progress of the implementation of the ASEAN-China Joint Declaration in the Field of Non-Traditional Security Issues adopted in 2002. We welcomed the convening of the Informal ASEAN-China Ministerial Meeting on Transnational Crime on 30 November 2005 in Ha Noi, which will contribute to the strengthening of cooperation to fight against terrorism and other transnational crimes. In this light, we agreed to consider establishing linkages between ASEAN and other international organisations including the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation in the global effort against terrorism.

12. We also noted the progress in the ongoing negotiations towards the establishment of an ASEAN-China Free Trade Area (ACFTA). We noted with satisfaction that the Agreement on Trade in Goods under the ASEAN-China FTA has been implemented since July 2005. We urged ASEAN and China to complete their negotiations on services and investment as soon as possible. The ASEAN Leaders urged China to strongly encourage its business sector to invest in ASEAN.

13. We agreed to deepen our cooperation to combat avian influenza and request the Health Ministers of ASEAN and China to convene their first meeting at the soonest and to take necessary actions to prevent and combat the avian influenza, including through the setting up of a regional network of anti-viral drugs stockpile, and other emerging and re-emerging infectious diseases.

14. The Leaders of ASEAN congratulated China for the successful holding of the second China-ASEAN EXPO and the second ASEAN-China Business and Investment Summit in Nanning in October 2005 which have facilitated contacts among the business sectors and promoted trade and investment between ASEAN and China.

15. We noted the ASEAN-China ICT Week held in May 2005 in China. We noted that the digital gap remained wide and that a possible mean to narrow this gap was through making available of low cost personal computers. We welcomed the proposal to establish a China-ASEAN information superhighway. The ASEAN Leaders also welcomed China's offer to host a technology exhibition next year and to conduct an exhibition tour of applied scientific technologies in ASEAN Member Countries.

16. We welcomed the adoption of the Action Plan to Formulate a Technology Platform for Earthquake-Generated Tsunami Warning System at the China-ASEAN Workshop on Earthquake-Generated Tsunami Warning in January 2005 in Beijing.

17. We also welcomed the establishment of the Centre for ASEAN and China Studies (CACS) in Ha Noi, Viet Nam, which will promote the exchange of ideas, and research and studies among the academics and think-tanks in ASEAN and China. The Leaders of ASEAN appreciated China's support for the implementation of the Vientiane Action Programme (VAP) and welcomed China's consideration to contribute to the ASEAN Development Fund (ADF).

18. The Leaders of ASEAN welcomed China's intention to become the development partner of the Brunei Darussalam-Indonesia-Malaysia-Philippines-East ASEAN Growth Area (BIMP-EAGA) and also commended China's support to ASEAN's integration efforts through various development initiatives and schemes such as the Initiative for ASEAN Integration (IAI), ASEAN-Mekong Basin Development Cooperation (AMBDC), Greater Mekong Sub-Region (GMS) and Ayeyawady-Chao Phraya-Mekong Economic Cooperation Strategy (ACMECS).

19. We supported Asia's candidacy for the position of the United Nations Secretary-General (UNSG). In this regard, China expressed understanding to ASEAN's candidate from Thailand, which is a positive contribution in ensuring Asia has a strong and a well qualified candidate for this important position.

20. We welcomed the convening of the First East Asia Summit (EAS) on 14 December 2005 in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. We shared the views that the EAS will be convened annually and that the EAS will play a significant role in this region to promote strategic dialogue and cooperation among the participating countries.