Chronologies
China - Southeast Asia
Chronology from Sep 2015 to Dec 2015
: Chinese Navy announces the second of two large military exercises in the South China Sea over the past month involving operations of advanced ships, submarines, and combat aircraft from China’s three naval fleets.
: BBC reports that the Chinese Navy repeatedly warned away a civilian aircraft flying over the South China Sea near Chinese occupied islands and reefs in November.
: Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs raises concerns about the US deployment of surveillance planes in Singapore to monitor developments in the South China Sea.
: Premier Li Keqiang visits Malaysia to take part in the 18th Leaders’ Meeting between China and ASEAN and the 10th East Asia Summit. Li pledges to provide $10 billion to Southeast Asia for infrastructure development.
: President Xi visits Manila for the APEC Economic Leaders Meeting. A key issue on Xi’s agenda is to push the Free Trade Agreement of the Asia-Pacific (FTAAP).
: Chinese and Thai air forces hold their first joint exercise, Falcon Strike 2015, at the Korat Royal Thai Air Force Base.
: Cambodia, China, Laos, Myanmar, and Thailand launch the Lancang-Mekong Cooperation framework to promote regional cooperation on political and security issues, economic affairs and sustainable development, and people-to-people exchanges.
: Foreign Minister Wang Yi meets Philippine Foreign Secretary Albert del Rosario in Manila ahead of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) meeting.
: President Xi visits Singapore and meets Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong to sign agreements deepening bilateral cooperation, including one that will upgrade the China-Singapore Free Trade Agreement.
: President Xi Jinping makes a state visit to Hanoi and raises a seven-point proposal for strengthening ties. The proposal focuses on maintaining high-level party-to-party and government-to-government exchanges and on deepening bilateral economic relations.
: UN Permanent Court of Arbitration awards its first decision in The Republic of Philippines v. The People’s Republic of China case, ruling that it was “properly constituted” under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, that China’s “non-appearance” (i.e., refusal to participate) did not preclude the Court’s jurisdiction, and that the Philippines was within its rights in filing the case.
: Law enforcement and security officials from Laos, Myanmar, and Thailand meet their counterparts in Beijing for a Ministerial Meeting on Law Enforcement and Security Cooperation along the Mekong River.
: Fan Changlong, vice-chair of China’s Central Military Commission, meets Indonesian Defense Minister Ryamizard Ryacudu and pledges to strengthen bilateral military cooperation in the areas of personnel training, joint exercises, and maritime security.
: The 12th meeting of the China-Singapore Joint Council for Bilateral Cooperation convenes in Singapore. Officials agree to upgrade the bilateral free trade agreement, financial cooperation, and expand cultural and people-to-people exchanges.
: Defense Minister Chang Wanquan meets Soe Win, deputy commander in chief of Myanmar’s Army, in Beijing. Chang says Beijing hopes for a smooth general election in Myanmar in early November and calls on both sides to ensure peace and stability on the two countries’ borders and to work toward advancing their comprehensive strategic partnership.
: China and Malaysia carry out their first joint military exercise, Peace and Friendship 2015. The drills focus on joint escort, search and rescue, simulation of hijacked vessel rescue, and humanitarian assistance and disaster relief. It is the largest bilateral military exercise between China and an ASEAN member state.
: China receives regional business leaders and government officials as it hosts the 12th China-ASEAN Expo and the China-ASEAN Business and Investment Summit in Nanning. Chinese officials promote its “Belt and Road” initiative to enhance regional investment, infrastructure, trade, and economic cooperation.
: Chinese and Vietnamese security officials announce they will cooperate on a new, joint campaign to investigate drug-related cases and establish an intelligence sharing mechanism to tackle the drug trade along the two countries’ borders.
: President Xi Jinping meets Vietnamese President Truong Tan Sang in Beijing on the sidelines of the celebrations marking the 70th anniversary of the end of World War II. They agree to strengthen bilateral ties and to manage their territorial disputes through dialogue.