Chronologies
China - Southeast Asia
Chronology from Oct 2004 to Dec 2004
: China offers $2.7 million (Yuan 21.63 million) as emergency humanitarian aid to India, Indonesia, Thailand, Sri Lanka, and Maldives.
: China publishes Defense White Paper, stressing a government security strategy to build a streamlined military with “Chinese characteristics.” In the paper, China attaches importance to the role of the ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF), and is devoted to its development.
: Powerful earthquake shocks South and Southeast Asia and Africa, with total death to exceed 150,000. China offers emergency humanitarian aid to India, Indonesia, Sri Lanka, Maldives and Thailand.
: Thailand opens first Regional Operation Center (ROC) – the Khon Kaen University, which will serve as technical coordinator to link provincial strategies with foreign policy in handling relations with neighboring countries.
: Ministers of six Mekong River countries sign documents to ease cross-border goods transport and travel at the 13th Greater Mekong Subregion (GMS).
: Burma’s Prime Minister Lt. Gen. Soe Win, and Mayor Brig. Gen. Aung Thein Lynn meet Chen Haosu, president of the Chinese People’s Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries to enhance bilateral relations, and to discuss issues of common interest.
: President Hu tells Hong Kong Chief Executive Tung Chee-hwa that the Hong Kong government “must be more concerned with the people of Hong Kong.”
: President Hu meets Chief Executive of the Macao Special Administrative Region (SAR) Edmund Ho Hau Wah, to celebrate Macao’s fifth anniversary. Hu reiterates that “one country, two systems” is the fundamental guarantee of Macao’s sustained development and its long-term prosperity and stability.
: Cambodia’s Senate President Chea Sim and Prime Minister Hun Sen meet visiting Chinese delegation led by Chen Haosu, president of the Chinese People’s Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries. Hun Sen reaffirms that “Cambodia always pays great attention to strengthen the friendly relations with China.”
: China Vice Premier Hui Liangyu meets Thailand Deputy Prime Minister Chaturon Chaisaeng to promote strategic partner relationship.
: East Timor-Leste embassy opens in China.
: Court documents show that China Aviation Oil is $152 million in debt since losing $550 million from trading in oil derivatives, and owes money to 12 banks.
: Chen Jiulin, chief executive of embattled China Aviation Oil Singapore Corp. Ltd., arrested in Singapore.
: Highway linking China and Burma to be rebuilt to boost exchanges between China and Southeast Asia.
: Malaysian Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi outlines a seven-point roadmap to chart the course of the East Asian Community and measure its progress.
: China Aviation Oil chief executive officer Chen Jiulin leaves Singapore after company discloses it lost $550 million on speculative trading in derivatives.
: Premier Wen meets President of Lao National Assembly Saman Vi-Gnaket and says “China will stick to its friendly policy toward Laos no matter how the world situation changes.”
: China and ASEAN hold eighth summit. They sign pact aimed at creating world’s largest free trade zone. They also agree to expand Framework Agreement for the Integration of Priority Sectors to create an ASEAN community with a common market and common security goals. Premier Wen reiterates that “China is willing to accede at an early date to the Protocol of the Treaty on the Southeast Asia Nuclear Weapon-Free Zone,” and is willing to “shelve disputes while going in for joint development” with regards to the South China Sea.
: ASEAN Plus Three agrees to hold East Asia Summit in Malaysia in 2005.
: ASEAN holds 10th summit in Vientiane, Laos. ASEAN Leaders sign the Vientiane Action Program, and the ASEAN Framework Agreement for the Integration of Priority Sectors. ASEAN economic ministers sign the ASEAN Sectoral Integration Protocol and ASEAN Protocol on Enhanced Disputes Settlement Mechanism.
: Asian health ministers meet in Thailand to discuss bird flu.
: Defense Minister Juwono Sudarsono says Indonesia has elected to enter into military cooperation with Russia and China at the IndoDefence Expo and Forum-2004.
: Chinese Foreign Minister Li Zhaoxing holds phone conversation with Philippine Foreign Secretary Alberto Romulo to discuss bilateral issues.
: Philippines Defense Secretary Avelino Cruz and Chinese Defense Minister Gen. Cao Caochuan agree to set up mechanism for annual defense talks.
: State Councilor Tang meets Indonesian Foreign Minister Hasan Wirayudha to enhance bilateral relationship. Wirayudha reaffirms “one China” policy.
: Beijing hosts First Security Policy Conference of the ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF) attended by defense officials from 24 ARF countries.
: China, and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) launch the first China-ASEAN trade fair (CA-Expo) in Naning.
: State Councilor Tang meets Thai PM Thaksin to discuss Thailand-China diplomatic ties and bilateral strategic cooperation. Thaksin reiterates “one China” policy.
: Chinese State Councilor Tang Jiaxuan meets Malaysian PM Badawi to discuss China-Malaysia relationship. Malaysia reiterates adherence to the “one China” policy.
: China protests Vietnam’s oil bid in disputed Spratly Islands in the South China Sea, saying move violated China’s territorial sovereignty and rights.
: Chinese President Hu Jintao meets with new Cambodian King Norodom Sihamoni.
: Senior Chinese leader Wu Guanzheng meets Indonesia President-elect Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono.
: Wu Jianmin, former Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman, ambassador to France, and now president of the Chinese Foreign Affairs University, used the closing of the annual meeting of the Network of East Asian Think Tanks (NEAT) to assert in an interview with People’s Daily that “The concept of East Asian Community has been accepted by the 13 East Asian countries and become a common understanding.”
: Asian and European nations gather in Hanoi to accept Burma and 12 other countries into ASEM.
: Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao arrives in Vietnam for fifth Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM) summit in Hanoi to be held Oct.78-9.
: Thailand reports 11th death from bird flu.
: Singaporean Foreign Ministry warns Taiwan not to “belittle Singapore.”