Security and defense cooperation between various parties should be conducive to regional peace and stability, and not target any third party or undermine the security interests of other countries, the Chinese Foreign Ministry said on Friday, in response to a new EU-Japan security and defense pact signed during the Tokyo visit of EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Josep Borrell.

Lin Jian, a Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson, made the remarks at a press briefing on Friday. He said due to historical reasons, Japan's military and security moves have been closely watched by the international community and its Asian neighbors, urging Japan to earnestly draw lessons from history, adhere to peaceful development, respect the security concerns of its neighbors in Asia, and stay prudent in military and security areas. 

We also hope that the EU will not interfere in the disputes on territorial and maritime rights and interests between regional countries, but instead play a constructive role for regional peace, stability, and development, Lin said. 

On Friday, Borrell co-chaired the first EU-Japan Strategic Dialogue together with Foreign Minister Takeshi Iwaya in Tokyo, the first stop of his East Asia tour to Japan and South Korea from November 1 to 4, according to the Delegation of the European Union to the Republic of Korea. 

During the dialogues, Japan and the EU agreed to launch a defense and security partnership that will lay the ground for closer cooperation in critical areas such as maritime security and tie-ups in the defense industry, according to Japanese media. 

More concretely, these include more joint training and capacity-building, finding ways to jointly counter terrorism and exploring potential avenues for joint initiatives in the defense industry, said the Japan Times. Details of the agreement have not been released as of press time. 

According to the Japan Times, Borrell and Iwaya have expressed concerns about tense territorial and maritime disputes in the East and South China Sea, and reaffirmed the "strategic importance" of peace and stability in the Taiwan Straits for regional and global security and prosperity.

Lü Chao, director of the Institute of US and East Asian Studies at Liaoning University, told the Global Times that both Japan and the EU are clearly targeting a third party to create a confrontational camp and a Cold War mentality, and Asian countries should be vigilant about it.

He said that the EU has traditionally been more focused on economic and political affairs, but now, it is also showing a trend of "NATO-ization," with a greater focus on defense and security, following NATO's Asia-Pacific pivot.

EU and Japanese officials also pointed out that the security of the Euro-Atlantic and "Indo-Pacific" is inseparable.

The EU official's visit to Japan and South Korea to discuss security cooperation is a very dangerous move that could make the situation on the peninsula even more dangerous and unpredictable, Lü noted. 

In terms of what is available from reports and their respective military strengths, Japan's military cooperation with the EU is still more of a political and symbolic one, Shen Yi, a professor at Fudan University, told the Global Times on Friday.

Their defense and security cooperation is more about an alternative means for the EU and Japan to prevent the negative impact of a possible Trump return and his intention of withdrawing from alliances, Shen said.

As for Japan, Shen said that it is also using defense cooperation with the EU as "symbolic progress" that "Japan has taken another step toward normalcy," which could be helpful for some Japanese politicians to further hollow out Article 9 of Japan's pacifist constitution.

The European Union (EU) is sending mixed messages over its policy on China, with media reporting that the EU is set to send envoys to Beijing for further negotiations on the electric vehicles (EVs) tariff issue, while a report presented by Special Adviser to the President of the European Commission Sauli Niinisto recently showed a "problematic view of China." 

If the EU wants to find an effective solution to the EV dispute with China and realize win-win cooperation to serve the needs of European countries for development in a turbulent world, EU leaders need to stop hyping the "China threat" rhetoric and stay away from the US' hostile containment strategy against China, as China has never seen the EU as a rival, but a partner for win-win cooperation, Chinese experts said on Thursday.  

The report titled "Strengthening Europe's civil and military preparedness and readiness" by Sauli Niinisto, a former Finnish president, comprehensively covered the fields of economy, trade, industry, diplomacy and security of the EU. The report said "the economic and military rise of China in the Indo-Pacific, Russia's military aggression in Europe, and the strategic convergence between these two autocratic powers, is reshaping international relations across Eurasia and around the world - even if the majority of countries refuse to entertain a bloc logic and are engaged in multi-partnerships."

The report appears to be trying to blame China and Russia for the intensifying bloc confrontation that was initially pushed by the US across Eurasia via NATO expansion in Europe and building military alliances in the Asia-Pacific region, threatening regional peace and stability, said Li Haidong, a professor at the China Foreign Affairs University. 

The report said "The increasingly confrontational policies and actions of Russia and China toward the West have already seriously undermined the long-held conviction that trade and economic interdependencies would overcome security dilemmas, and that the economy and security could be seen as essentially separate domains."

In the report, presented to Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, Niinisto suggested the EU must signal to the US that it is prepared to pay its way on military and civil preparedness. 

"The fact is that China's development has brought significant benefits to nations worldwide, including European ones, while US hegemonic strategy is fostering chaos around the globe. The interdependencies between China and Europe should be strengthened and developed, not pushed toward decoupling in the name of 'security'," Li noted. 

Some Chinese analysts questioned whether this report was based on the EU's own interests or just a document to prove some EU leaders' loyalty to Washington, but added that blindly following the US and distancing itself from China is not a wise choice for the EU. 

Jiang Feng, a research fellow at the Shanghai International Studies University, said in an article published in the Global Times on Wednesday that "In the wake of the Russia-Ukraine conflict, the continent is more reliant on the US for security than at any time since the Cold War. However, the post-election US may not want to bear such dependence unless Europe pays a significant price. This situation means that Europe is drifting further away from the ideal of an independent and autonomous security policy." 

How to cooperate?

On Thursday, Bloomberg reported that "The EU has decided to send officials to Beijing to hold more talks aimed at finding an alternative to tariffs on EVs from China, according to people familiar with the matter."

Agreeing to travel to Beijing suggests there is some momentum in the negotiations, the people, who spoke on condition of anonymity, told Bloomberg. They cautioned, however, that a deal to replace the levies, which came into force on Wednesday, remains complicated. "Plans were still being finalized and need to be coordinated with Beijing," Bloomberg reported.

Cui Hongjian, a professor at the Academy of Regional and Global Governance at Beijing Foreign Studies University, told the Global Times on Thursday that if the EU really wants to reach a deal with China on EV tariffs, it should stop hyping the "China threat" rhetoric to the public while releasing signals for talks. "If the stances are subject to interruption from political tunes, it will be difficult for Europe and China to reach a solution." 

The EU made the unilateral decision on tariffs first and then came to China for negotiations, which has put up some obstacles for the two sides to fundamentally improving and facilitating their trade policies, and in order to achieve more goals than just communication on technical issues, the EU needs to release more friendly messages rather than hyping the "China threat" rhetoric, Cui noted.   

Li said some EU leaders need to correct their problematic view on China, as shown in the report, to create condition for sustainable win-win cooperation between the two sides.

China's state security organs have uncovered across Chinese territorial waters a variety of devices with special techniques that foreign espionage and intelligence agencies employed to gather sensitive oceanic information and data to enhance surveillance and gather data on China's maritime areas in a series of intelligence gathering and technical espionage activities, posing a significant threat to China's national security, China's Ministry of State Security (MSS) said on Tuesday.

According to an article released by the MSS on WeChat, some of these devices act as "covert sentries," lying concealed on the seafloor for extended periods, while others serve as "spies" that drift along with ocean currents. There are still other devices which function as underwater "lighthouse" to navigate foreign submarines intruding the Chinese territorial waters while attempting to hide their tracks. 

According to the MSS, deep-sea security is crucial for state security, involving international cooperation to safeguard China's assets and interests across areas including politics, economy, technology, resources, environment, overseas interests, and military. Effective protection of deep-sea security is critical to state security and the country's development. 

The MSS said that it is an inevitable choice for China to realize Chinese modernization through speeding up the construction of a strong maritime power, whereas China at present is at a critical stage in its transition from a major maritime power to a strong maritime power, with its deep-sea security facing risks and challenges. 

Amid severe and complex covert threats from foreign intelligence agencies, Chinese state security organs will collaborate with other agencies to effectively prevent and resolve various security risks in the deep-sea area, firmly defending China's sovereignty, security, and development interests and contributing to building a strong maritime power, the MSS said. 

Xi congratulates Taneti Maamau on re-election as Kiribati's president

China on Wednesday has launched a pilot program to expand the opening-up of value-added telecommunications services, marking a steadfast step of the world's second-largest economy to continue expanding high-level opening-up despite external pressures and rising protectionism in the world. 

The latest move, adding to a flurry of concrete opening-up measures in manufacturing and healthcare industries in recent months, shows the Chinese government's unwavering commitment to continuing opening-up and sharing its development opportunities with enterprises from all countries, analysts said. 

The pilot program to expand the opening-up of value-added telecommunications services has been kick started in four areas, including Beijing's national comprehensive demonstration zone for expanding opening-up in the service sector, Lingang new area of the China (Shanghai) Pilot Free Trade Zone and the pioneer area for socialist modernization in Shanghai, Hainan Free Trade Port and Shenzhen pilot demonstration area of socialism with Chinese characteristics, the Global Times learned from China's Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT) on Wednesday.

The pilot program will allow foreign investors to operate wholly-owned businesses such as internet data centers and engage in online data processing and transaction processing in the designated areas. They can also gain greater access to China's cloud computing service and computing power service markets, Xinhua reported.

"Expanding the opening-up of telecom industry is an important measure to steadily push for institutional opening-up, integrate into global division of labor and cooperation, and enhance China's competitive advantage and leading position in the telecommunications industry," Minister of Industry and Information Technology Jin Zhuanglong said at a press briefing of MIIT on Wednesday. 

As of September, the number of foreign enterprises approved to operate telecommunications services has increased to 2,220, according to media reports. 

Zhang Hongtao, deputy director of Shanghai Municipal Commission of Economy and Informatization, disclosed that 10 foreign enterprises have filed application to join the pilot program in Shanghai, including Tesla, Trafigura, HSBC Fintech, and a subsidiary of Siemens, among others. 

"China's telecom industry stands at the world's leading level, and the launch of a pilot program in this regard further demonstrated China's firm resolution to open its door wider and offer foreign firms with broader development opportunities," Xiang Ligang, director-general of the Beijing-based Information Consumption Alliance, told the Global Times on Thursday. 

According to telecom industry insiders, telecommunication is a fundamental pillar industry closely linked to national security. So China's open attitude in the field also offers a sharp comparison to some Western countries' geopolitical moves to sideline Chinese telecom equipment-makers from their core networks.  

China offers opportunity

"Those are concrete steps and are carried out in a gradual manner in accordance with China's development status. They also deliver a key message, that China welcomes foreign enterprises that are willing to comply with Chinese laws and relevant policies, to jointly write a new chapter of win-win cooperation," Xiang said. 

China's extension of an olive branch has drawn in more foreign companies to up their antes in the Chinese market either in recent months, or in the foreseeable future.

The seventh China International Import Expo (CIIE), a pivotal platform for China's high-level opening-up that will take place in Shanghai in November, has attracted a total of 3,496 exhibitors from 129 countries and regions, exceeding the previous session, officials told a press conference Wednesday. The number of Fortune Global 500 companies and industry leaders among the exhibitors reached 297, setting a new historical high, according to official information.

Calvin McDonald, CEO of lululemon, a Canadian fashion brand that has registered for CIIE, told the Global Times that the company "remains steadfast in our commitment to further invest and grow our presence in the market." China continues to be a key growth engine for lululemon's international business, and the company expects it to be the brand's second-largest market globally by fiscal year 2026, he noted.

"Such thriving enthusiasm on the Chinese market is a manifestation of how foreign enterprises are 'voting with their feet.' As Chinese officials have said, China is the next opportunity. No one could afford losing one of the world's most-promising markets, with sheer size and huge untapped potential," Xiang said.

A drone delivery service launched on Wednesday at Futian Port, located between Guangdong Province and neighboring Hong Kong, is attracting attention from citizens eager to enjoy cross-border food in minutes.

Daily commuters between Hong Kong and Shenzhen can now take advantage of the “airdrop” takeout service, allowing them to pick up their orders at designated landing spots within 10 minutes, bypassing the hassle of locating their delivery person in crowded areas.

Popular dining brands such as KFC, CHAGEE, and Heytea are already integrated into this service, according to Meituan, the shopping platform behind the initiative. The service also supports users to place orders in advance while commuting. It offers precise timing, with only a few seconds of variance, ensuring a “synchronized arrival” experience.

Giant panda Meng Meng's eight-week-old twin cubs are open to the public from Wednesday for the first time at Zoo Berlin in Germany, according to a press release Zoo Berlin sent to the Global Times on the day.

Meng Meng, an 11-year-old female giant panda, gave birth to the twins on August 22 at Zoo Berlin. Since their birth, the twin cubs and their mother have been taken good care of in the rear area of the Panda Garden at the zoo and have not been visible to zoo visitors, according to Zoo Berlin.

Starting Wednesday, the 2.5-kilogram panda cubs can be seen in the Panda Garden for about an hour every day between 1:30 and 2:30 pm, said the zoo. 

Only the panda cubs will open to the public, while visitors will not be able to see their mother Meng Meng. The cubs will be housed in a specially designed glass enclosure with an advanced air filtration system to keep them safe from external elements, said Andreas Knieriem, director of the zoo and Tierpark, according to Xinhua News Agency.

One cub will be on display at a time, while the other will stay with their mother, according to Xinhua.

The zoo also said in the press release that the giant panda is also considered an important ambassador for species conservation. "We hope that the panda cubs will capture the hearts of our guests and at the same time draw attention to the need to protect their natural habitat," said Knieriem, per the Zoo Berlin press release.

The zoo has announced that the two female panda cubs have reached a stable condition and are no longer dependent on the protective environment of the incubators they occupied during the initial weeks after their birth. 

The zoo will observe closely how the panda cubs react to their new environment and will adjust the time window, if necessary, according to the zoo.

An animal care team, including two experts from China, has been providing round-the-clock care for the panda cubs since their birth in August. The cubs are alternately cared for. While one stays with their mother Meng Meng and drinks Meng Meng's milk and receives affection, the other is looked after by the keepers. This rotation ensures that both cubs will form a close bond with their mother, according to the zoo.

President Xi Jinping will attend the 16th BRICS Summit in Kazan, Russia from October 22 to 24, Foreign Ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying announced on Friday.  

During the summit, Xi will attend events including small-group and large-group talks and BRICS Plus Dialogue and deliver important addresses. He will also have in-depth exchanges with other leaders on the international landscape, the BRICS practical cooperation, the development of BRICS mechanism and important issues of mutual interest, according to Mao Ning, another Foreign Ministry spokesperson.

China stands ready to work with other parties to strive for the steady and sustained development of greater BRICS cooperation, open a new era for the Global South to seek strength through solidarity and jointly promote world peace and development, Mao added.

The BRICS Summit in Kazan is the group's first summit since its expansion, attracting global attention and holding significant importance, Chinese Ambassador to Russia Zhang Hanhui told the Global Times. 

Chinese side hopes that this summit can fully reflect friendship and unity, gather consensus from all parties, and outline a development blueprint for the BRICS mechanism. Chinese side supports Russia in hosting this summit and hopes that all member countries will seize the opportunity to send a strong message to the world at this summit, advocating fairness and justice and promoting common development, said Zhang. 

This year's BRICS summit, the first since the organization's expansion, will further illustrate its role in upholding true multilateralism and clarifying the prospects for a multipolar world amid a complex geopolitical landscape. Moreover, the increasing number of applications to join the organization not only reflects a growing discontent with a Western-centric order, but also highlights BRICS' appeal to Global South countries by offering a platform that fosters win-win cooperation, encourages equal dialogue, and embraces inclusivity, according to some Chinese experts.   

Zhu Tianxiang, executive dean of the Institute of BRICS Studies at Sichuan International Studies University, told the Global Times, that amid the turmoil facing the world, BRICS - a group of countries that constitute 45 percent of the world's population - will place greater emphasis on global governance this year, and aim to facilitate dialogues among its members on pressing global issues to promote true multilateralism.

Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran and the United Arab Emirates became BRICS members on January 1, 2024. 

Additionally, countries including Sri Lanka, Cuba, Malaysia, Belarus and Pakistan have expressed the willingness or have applied to join BRICS. 

Turkey, a NATO member, has also formally asked to join the BRICS group as it seeks to bolster its global influence, Bloomberg quoted people familiar with the matter as saying in September. 

The surge of applications to join BRICS reflects growing discontent with the Western-centric order, Wang Youming, a research fellow at the China Institute of International Studies, told the Global Times. 

Global South countries are unwilling to play a supporting role in Western-led organizations, where their contributions and significance are often downplayed, Wang said, noting that in BRICS, these nations not only benefit from the organization's rising economic momentum but also gain access to a platform that promotes equal discussion, win-win cooperation, and inclusiveness. 

"BRICS countries are the driver, the powerhouse of economic growth. We see the average growth rates of BRICS economies at present, in 2024-2025, it's 4.4 percent. If we look at G7 countries, this is 1.7 percent. It is clear whose development is more dynamic," Russian media quoted Russian Finance Minister Anton Siluanov as saying earlier this month.

Experts believe that apart from development, other regional and international issues will also be discussed during the Kazan summit.

True multilateralism

International rules must be written and upheld jointly by all countries based on the purposes and principles of the UN Charter, rather than dictated by those with the strongest muscles or the loudest voice. Ganging up to form exclusive groups and packaging their own rules as international norms are even more unacceptable, Xi said when attending the 15th BRICS Summit in Johannesburg, South Africa in 2023. 

BRICS countries should practice true multilateralism, uphold the UN-centered international system, support and strengthen the WTO-centered multilateral trading system, and reject the attempt to create small circles or exclusive blocs, said Xi.

The role of BRICS has been clear since its establishment: it does not seek to replace or confront existing organizations, nor does it aim to serve as an alternative, said Wang. 

He noted that the fundamental difference between BRICS and Western-led organizations lies in BRICS' emphasis on non-alignment while promoting open cooperation and inclusiveness. This approach allows Global South countries to feel no strategic pressure, which is why many of these nations are eager to join the bloc.

It is safe to say that BRICS has further accelerated the current process of multipolarity, making its prospects clearer. The organization aims to reform and innovate the inequities of the existing global order, striving for a system that is fair and equitable, and advocate for a model of governance characterized by joint decision-making, consultation, and shared benefits, Zhu said.

Chinese Premier Li Qiang said Saturday that China stands ready to promote high-quality and high-level cooperation in various fields with Vietnam.

China is willing to continue to make bigger the pie of economic and trade cooperation with Vietnam, said Li when meeting with To Lam, general secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam Central Committee and Vietnamese president.

Li conveyed the cordial greetings of Xi Jinping, general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and Chinese president, to To Lam, saying that in August this year, the top leaders of the two parties and countries held a meeting in Beijing and made a strategic plan for promoting the building of a China-Vietnam community with a shared future, which charted the course for the development of bilateral relations.

He said that China is willing to work with Vietnam to implement the important consensus reached by the top leaders of the two parties and countries, carry forward the traditional friendship, strengthen high-level exchanges, enhance strategic communication, deepen solidarity and coordination, and firmly promote the building a China-Vietnam community with a shared future that carries strategic significance.

Li pointed out that China stands ready to solidify the six major goals of greater political mutual trust, more substantive security cooperation, deeper practical cooperation, more solid popular foundation, closer multilateral coordination and collaboration, and more proper management of differences.

It is hoped that the two sides will simultaneously promote the "hard connectivity" of railway, expressway and port infrastructure and the "soft connectivity" of smart customs to provide solid support for improving the facilitation of trade and investment and safeguarding the stability and smooth flow of industrial and supply chains, Li said.

He said China is willing to work with Vietnam to actively study the pilot construction of cross-border economic cooperation zones, expand cooperation in emerging fields such as information technology, new energy, digital economy, and important minerals, and deepen cultural exchanges.

China stands ready to carry out cooperation under the three major global initiatives, jointly promote the building of an equal and orderly multipolar world and a universally beneficial and inclusive economic globalization, and maintain and promote prosperity and tranquility in Asia, Li added.

For his part, To Lam asked Li to convey his sincere greetings to Xi, and warmly congratulated the 75th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China.

He said the party and the government of Vietnam have always attached great importance to developing relations with China, and have always regarded relations with China as a strategic choice and top priority in Vietnam's foreign policy.

The Vietnamese side will firmly follow the path jointly set by the top leaders of the two parties and the two countries, adhering to the six major goals, to deepen the Vietnam-China comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership, and promote the building of a Vietnam-China community with a shared future that carries strategic significance.

He said Vietnam firmly abides by the one-China principle and firmly opposes all forms of "Taiwan independence" separatist activities, adding that Vietnam is willing to take the 75th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries next year as an opportunity to maintain regular high-level exchanges, strengthen exchanges between parties, legislatures and civil societies, deepen practical cooperation on trade, investment, finance, agriculture and local governments, and hold the Vietnam-China Year of People-to-People Exchanges to consolidate the popular support of the two countries.

Vietnam supports the Belt and Road Initiative and the three major global initiatives, he said, adding that his country is willing to strengthen communication and coordination with China within multilateral frameworks, so as to make greater contributions to promoting regional and world peace and prosperity.

Chinese Premier Li Qiang announced that negotiations on the Version 3.0 China-ASEAN Free Trade Area (FTA) have achieved a substantial conclusion in his opening remarks addressing the 27th China-ASEAN Summit on Thursday. Experts said that as protectionism is on the rise, deeper market integration between China and ASEAN countries is essential for fostering economic growth on both sides. Furthermore, they argue that a comprehensive and robust economic partnership could enhance security relations between China and the bloc.

Li said that the market has become the scarcest resource in the current economic development, and market resources are the most prominent advantage of China and ASEAN amid rising global uncertainties and instability, according to Xinhua News Agency.

In his opening remarks addressing the 27th China-ASEAN Summit, he noted that the global economic recovery remains lackluster, and problems such as insufficient global aggregate demand are becoming more prominent.

The markets of China and ASEAN are still expanding and increasing their opening up, the premier added.

Li also said in his opening remarks that he is happy to announce with leaders of the ASEAN countries that the Version 3.0 China-ASEAN Free Trade Area (FTA) negotiations have achieved a substantial conclusion.

"This upgrade to the FTA is an important move, especially in this time of growing protectionism in the world," Singapore's Prime Minister Lawrence Wong said during the 27th China-ASEAN Summit in Laotian capital Vientiane, media reported. 

"It will send a very clear and important message to everyone on the importance of free trade and win-win market cooperation," said Wong. 

Amid rising protectionism, further market integration and freer trade between China and ASEAN countries are mutually beneficial for both sides, Peng Nian, director of the Hong Kong Research Center for Asian Studies, told the Global Times on Thursday. For China, it can further integrate ASEAN countries into its production and supply chains to offset the negative effect of the crackdown by Western countries; and for ASEAN countries, China's advanced technology can help them accelerate their pace of digital transformation, said Peng. 

When addressing the 27th ASEAN Plus Three Summit in Vientiane on Thursday, Li said that China is ready to work with ASEAN, Japan, South Korea and other Asian countries to uphold the Asian consciousness, carry forward the Oriental wisdom, and steadily move forward toward building an Asia of peace and tranquility, common prosperity, openness and interconnectivity.

China, Japan and South Korea are the three major driving forces behind Asia's economic development, Zhao Weihua, director of the Center for China's Relations with Neighboring Countries at Fudan University, told the Global Times.

Zhao said that cooperation among the three is beneficial for the prosperity of the entire Asian region. Therefore, even in situations where political relations between China and Japan, as well as between China and South Korea, are relatively cool, the leaders of the three countries can still recognize the importance of their economic cooperation. From this perspective, it also sends a relatively positive signal for the future development of bilateral and multilateral relations.

Disruptive voices

Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. mentioned the South China Sea issue at the ASEAN Summit on October 10, media reported as he "called on all ASEAN member states not to turn a blind eye to the aggressive, coercive, and illegal actions of an external power against an ASEAN member state, for such actions undermine their claims of genuine adherence to our core values."

In response, Mao Ning, spokesperson from China's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, said that with the joint effort of China and ASEAN countries, the situation in the South China Sea is generally stable. China remains committed to settling maritime differences with countries concerned through dialogue and consultation on the basis of respecting historical facts and international law. Meanwhile, China firmly opposes any infringement activities and provocations, and firmly safeguards its own territorial sovereignty and maritime rights and interests.

China will continue to work with ASEAN countries to fully and effectively implement the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea, actively advance the consultations of the code of conduct in the South China Sea, and jointly make the South China Sea a sea of peace, friendship and cooperation, Mao added.

Gu Xiaosong, dean of the ASEAN Research Institute of Hainan Tropical Ocean University, told the Global Times that certain country's hyping of South China Sea issues during the summit appears aimed at amplifying tensions with China and seeking international pressure on Beijing. However, this approach risks distracting the development goals of ASEAN nations; moreover, escalation of the South China Sea dispute will also disrupt cooperation and exchange in other fields, said Gu.

Leaders of ASEAN countries on Wednesday discussed progress toward the code of conduct in the South China Sea and agreed that the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) should be the bloc's basis for settling sea disputes, a Thai official was quoted by media as saying.

Reaching a consensus on code of conduct in the South China Sea has always been a common aspiration of China and most Southeast Asian countries, and significant progress had previously been made, said Zhao. However, in recent years, the process of reaching agreement on the COC has faced considerable obstacles due to the influence of a few Southeast Asian countries and the intervention of external powers, he noted. 

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken arrived in Laos on Thursday for the East Asia Summit, where he has the Myanmar situation and South China Sea issue on the agenda, media reported.

US Assistant Secretary of State for East Asian and Pacific Affairs Daniel Kritenbrink told reporters that a number of China-related issues would come up during Blinken's trip, including its "escalatory and irresponsible steps designed to coerce and pressure many of the South China Sea claimants."

Peng said that whenever China and ASEAN countries seek to enhance cooperation, noises hyping so-called China threat tend to emerge. These claims come from a few ASEAN countries as well as from the US in an attempt to undermine the cooperation between China and ASEAN. In reality, an increasing number of ASEAN countries are willing to engage in security cooperation with China.    

As economic cooperation becomes increasingly close, the security cooperation between China and ASEAN will gradually expand in breadth and depth, reaching a level that is coordinated with economic and trade cooperation, thereby improving security collaboration between China and ASEAN, said Peng.