China Calls For Deeper Ties With ASEAN In Advnacing Region's Digital Developemnt

China is calling on all countries from the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) to deepen their cooperation in developing an interconnected digital economy. Chinese premier, Li Keqiang, mentioned on Friday that the country will be spearheading efforts to create stronger economic and social development in the region.

The Chinese official made his remarks in a congratulatory letter during the opening of the 2020 China-ASEAN Year of Digital Economy Cooperation event held on late last week. Li stated that ASEAN countries and China are important partners for each other and cooperation from both sides should continue as their respective economies move into the digital age. He added that the technological and scientific revolution that is ongoing in Asia should bring out each country's complementary advantages, which will be beneficial to all parties involved.

Li is pushing for a win-win situation for all ASEAN countries through collaboration and cooperation to develop pertinent and upcoming technologies such as smart cities, big data, and artificial intelligence. China believes that through these advancements, each country can ensure the stability and prosperity of their respective economies while at the same time driving forward further growth in the region.

During the event, Vietnamese Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc, noted that China and the ASEAN nations do have enormous potential in the digital age, particularly through further economic cooperation. As of this year, ASEAN has managed to overtake the European Union as China's largest trading partner. According to official customs data, China's trade with ASEAN has increased by more than 4.2 percent to 1.7 trillion yuan or $240 billion for the first five months of this year.

China's minister of industry and information technology, Miao Wei, mentioned during the event that the country is willing to share with all ASEAN nations its experience in using digital technologies to bolster economic activities. This includes the utilization of such technologies to revive activities amid the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.

Miao explained that a strong digital infrastructure can help combat the disruptions caused by the pandemic to ensure the continued supply of goods such as medical equipment for health emergencies. He added that great advancements in technologies such as 5G and artificial intelligence can be achieved with deeper cooperation between China and ASEAN nations.

ASEAN secretary-general, Lim Jock Hoi, echoed the sentiments and added that China has become a tremendous inspiration, particularly for its rapid digital transformation over the past few years. China's achievements, including massive advancements in sectors such as financial tech, 5G, e-commerce, and cybersecurity had pushed other countries to also do the same.