On the afternoon of September 7, 2016 local time, Premier Li Keqiang attended the 19th ASEAN Plus China, Japan and ROK (ASEAN+3) Summit at the National Convention Center in Vientiane. Leaders of the 10 ASEAN members, Prime Minister Shinzo Abe of Japan and President Park Geun-hye of the ROK attended the meeting. Prime Minister Thongloun Sisoulith of Laos chaired the meeting.

In his speech, Li Keqiang stated that ASEAN+3 members have yielded important results from their cooperation over the 19-year-long course, and made new progress in their all-round practical cooperation since last year. While embracing the 20th anniversary of the ASEAN+3 cooperation next year, all parties should take this as a new starting point to cement the main channel role of the ASEAN+3 in regional economic integration and write a new chapter for East Asia cooperation. To this end, Li Keqiang made a six-pronged proposal on ASEAN+3 cooperation:

First, relevant countries should strengthen financial security cooperation. China supports ASEAN+3 members to improve their capability in macro-economic monitoring. All countries should learn a lesson from financial crises in order to jointly maintain financial stability.

Second, relevant countries should deepen trade and investment cooperation. China supports ASEAN's leading role in negotiations on the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) and hopes that negotiations could be accelerated by involved parties to promote regional trade liberalization and facilitation.

Third, relevant countries should advance cooperation in agriculture and poverty reduction. China supports the strengthening of an ASEAN+3 emergency mechanism on rice storage and proposes to build a modern agricultural cooperation demonstration base and an East Asian exchange platform of animal husbandry products. The ASEAN+3 meeting on food safety will continue to be hosted.

Fourth, relevant countries should advance connectivity. China supports the ASEAN to draft the Master Plan on ASEAN Connectivity 2025, and is willing to enhance the alignment between the “Belt and Road” initiative with the master plan, and deepen project cooperation with ASEAN countries under the assistance of the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank and other financing platforms.

Fifth, relevant countries should innovate production capacity cooperation mode. China, Japan and the ROK, with their respective advantages in equipment manufacturing, infrastructure construction, capital and human resources, can discuss production capacity cooperation with ASEAN countries. China is also willing to work with Japan and the ROK to offer assistance to ASEAN nations in such fields as logistics and supply chain construction to aid East Asia economic integration.

Sixth, relevant countries should boost people-to-people and cultural exchanges. China encourages its tourists to travel in ASEAN countries. All countries should also join efforts to tackle the problem of aging population.

Li Keqiang pointed out that Asia cannot achieve prosperity and development without a peaceful and stable regional environment. We should cherish the current overall stable security situation in Asia. China advocates common, comprehensive, cooperative and sustainable security in Asia, calls for building a security architecture benefited by all parties, and hopes to reduce repellence, avoid confrontation and properly handle all kinds of sensitive issues, so as to embark on a path of secure development conforming to regional reality. China is ready to join efforts with all sides to make the region a peaceful and secure place and a new engine in regional economic development by enhancing ASEAN+3 cooperation, so as to make greater contributions to safeguarding world peace and benefiting peoples of all regional countries.

Leaders present at the meeting said that with positive progress and momentum, ASEAN+3 cooperation has grown into an important channel for regional cooperation and contributed to regional stability and prosperity. As next year will embrace the 20th anniversary of the establishment of the ASEAN+3 mechanism, all parties should jointly plan the blueprint of the East Asia Economic Community, accelerate the process of the ASEAN+3 cooperation, improve trade and investment level, and reinforce cooperation in connectivity, finance, agriculture, poverty reduction, disaster prevention and relief, small and medium enterprises, e-commerce, coping with aging population and other fields, so as to realize common and sustainable development. All sides should also enhance friendship by intensifying cooperation in education, culture and tourism. Regional situation has maintained stability over the past years. All sides should further coordinate stances, effectively deal with traditional and non-traditional security threats, crack down on terrorism and extremism, and maintain peace and tranquility in the region and the world at large.