Chronologies
China - Southeast Asia
Chronology from Apr 2004 to Jul 2004
: China’s FM Li attends inauguration ceremony of Philippine President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo.
: Yunnan province announces annual scholarships to students from Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, and Thailand to strengthen cooperation with neighboring countries.
: Sheng Huaren, vice chairman and secretary general of the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress, meets in Beijing with a delegation from the Vietnamese National Assembly Office led by Chairman Bui Ngoc Thanh.
: The 10th Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress (NPC) approves the Beibu Gulf demarcation agreement between China and Vietnam.
: Senior Col. Wang Zhongchun, deputy director in Beijing’s National Defense University, proposes that China and ASEAN join forces to safeguard maritime security in the region.
: ASEAN and China will likely miss a 30 June deadline to decide on liberalizing the trade of goods and products, an essential first step in ongoing free trade negotiations. Currently, the agreement is being stalled by ASEAN member countries who are having problems defining the categorization of goods and products. Once completed, the ASEAN- China trade bloc could encompass nearly two billion people and an estimated two trillion dollars of combined GDP by 2010.
: UN special envoy to Myanmar Razali Ismail says he will seek China’s assistance to break the political stalemate in the country when he visits as part of a Malaysian delegation.
: ASEAN Secretary General Ong Keng Yong says ASEAN and China are likely to miss the first deadline on the ASEAN-China FTA negotiations.
: Vietnam’s FM Nguyen Dy Nien pays an official visit to China.
: China-ASEAN Foreign Ministers’ Meeting in Qingdao agrees to deepen cooperation, and to push for realization of the China-ASEAN Free Trade Agreement; China also signals it will sign the Protocol to the Treaty of the Southeast Asia Nuclear Weapon-Free Zone (SEANFZ).
: Premier Wen meets with Thai PM Thaksin Shinawatra on the sidelines of the Third Foreign Ministers’ Meeting of Asia Cooperation Dialogue; expresses thanks for Bangkok’s understanding and support for China on Taiwan, Tibet, and human rights.
: In a televised interview, Singapore Senior Minister Lee Kwan Yew calls China Singapore’s “main challenger” for economic competition.
: The Indonesian government says its exports to China could double in three years following the gradual implementation of a FTA.
: Vietnam’s General Assembly ratifies agreement with China defining maritime borders in the Gulf of Tonkin.
: Myanmar and China begin early trade liberalization activities under the Early Harvest Plan (EHP), an advanced program of the ASEAN-China FTA that covers 596 agricultural products.
: China’s Council for the Promotion of International Trade (CCPIT) opens regional office in Singapore to promote greater cooperation between China and regional companies.
: ASEAN energy ministers and their counterparts from China, Japan, and South Korea vow in Manila to forge closer energy partnership to face the challenges in the energy sector in Asia amid highly volatile world oil prices.
: Third Annual ASEAN-China Business Council Meeting and 16th ASEAN-Chamber of Commerce and Industry Conference & 61st Council Meeting held in Myanmar.
: Beijing boycotts Shangri-la security conference in Singapore because of presence of Taiwanese think-tank delegate.
: China announces the opening of 14 additional border ports between Yunnan province and neighboring Laos, Myanmar, Thailand, Vietnam, and Cambodia by 2010 to facilitate increasing economic trade between Southeast Asia and China.
: Singapore accedes to “China-Thailand Early Harvest Programme Acceleration Agreement” at the sidelines of APEC Ministers Responsible for Trade meeting in Pucon, Chile. The Agreement will eliminate tariffs on all fruits and vegetables.
: China boycotts 18th Asia Pacific Roundtable in Kuala Lumpur because of presence of Taiwan scholar.
: Malaysian PM Badawi proposes an East Asia Summit; says Malaysia and China should cooperate in setting the agenda for a new era of regional cooperation not only in security matters but also in socio-economic areas.
: Chinese President Hu meets with Malaysian PM in China.
: Premier Wen holds talks with Malaysian counterpart Abdullah Ahmad Badawi; makes five proposals for expanding and deepening China-Malaysia relations.
: Malaysian PM Abdullah Ahmad Badawi leads high profile diplomatic and economic delegation to China to celebrate 30th anniversary of bilateral ties.
: The China-ASEAN Free Trade Area (FTA) Negotiation Committee says China-ASEAN FTA talks will conclude ahead of schedule.
: Chinese President Hu tells visiting Vietnamese PM Phan Van Khai that the two countries should increase mutual trust and sincere cooperation.
: China and ASEAN reach basic consensus on FTA.
: Thai News Agency reports that Thailand’s trade surplus with China reached $1.26 billion in the first quarter of this year.
: Premier Wen holds talks with Vietnamese Premier Phan Van Khai.
: Seventh meeting of China-Singapore Joint Steering Council in Suzhou.
: Finance Ministers of ASEAN, China, Japan, and the Republic of Korea (ASEAN Plus Three) convene seventh meeting in Jeju, Republic of Korea.
: Singapore’s Deputy PM Lee Hsien Loong announces that Singapore and China will start negotiations on a bilateral free trade agreement (FTA) in November 2004.
: ASEAN Plus Three Labor Ministers meet in Bandar Seri Begawan, Brunei Darussalam in conjunction with the 18th ASEAN Labor Ministers Meeting.
: President Hu Jintao meets Singaporean Deputy PM Lee Hsien Loong in China.
: Vice Premier Wu Yi holds talks with Singaporean Deputy PM Lee Hsien Loong for the first meeting of Joint Council for Bilateral Cooperation; puts forward concrete proposals on how to advance bilateral cooperation.
: China’s Administration of Customs says China imported from ASEAN 1.06 billion yuan (about $128 million) worth of products enjoying zero tariff in the first quarter of 2004.
: Singapore PM Goh Chok Tong stresses cooperation with China and India for common development.
: Chinese FM Li meets with Lao Deputy PM and FM Somsavat Lengsavad, and Vietnamese FM Nguyen Dy Nien at 60th Session of ESCAP in Shanghai.
: Thai FM Surakiart Sathirathai holds a phone conversation with FM Li Zhaoxing; the two sides exchange views on enhancing cooperation.
: Third Bo’ao Forum for Asia annual conference in Hainan, China.
: ASEAN Plus Three Health Ministers meeting held in Penang, Malaysia.
: Yang Chonghui, senior advisor to the government of Yunnan province, says bilateral trade between Myanmar and China will reach $1.5 billion by 2005.
: China’s VP Zeng Qinghong meets Singaporean Senior Minister Lee Kuan Yew.
: State Councilor Tang meets with PM Hun Sen of Cambodia; expresses appreciation for Cambodia’s adherence to “one China” policy.
: Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao holds talks with PM Hun Sen of Cambodia; outlines China’s four suggestions on the future direction of China-Cambodia relations.
: Vietnam pushes through with controversial eight-day tourist trip to the disputed Spratly Islands despite warnings from China.
: China conducts PLA Navy Drill in the South China Sea.
: Le Cong Phung, special envoy of Vietnam’s prime minister, meets with China State Councillor Tang Jiaxuan in China; says Vietnam would like to enhance consultation and cooperation with China.
: China’s Defense Minister Cao Gangchuan visits Thailand.