GCC Chief: GCC-ASEAN-China Summit represents exceptional event

KUALA LUMPUR, May 27 (KUNA) -- Secretary General of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) Jassem Al-Budaiwi affirmed on Tuesday that the tripartite summit between the GCC, the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), and China represents an exceptional event by all standards.
This came during his speech in the convening of the tripartite summit on Tuesday in the Malaysian capital, Kuala Lumpur, co-chaired by the Representative of His Highness the Amir Shaikh Meshal Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah, His Highness the Crown Prince Shaikh Sabah Khaled Al-Hamad Al-Sabah, Anwar Ibrahim, Prime Minister of Malaysia, and Li Qiang, Premier of the State Council of China, with the presence of the leaders of the GCC countries and their representatives, as well as the leaders of the ASEAN countries. Present in the meeting was also Dr. Kao Kim Hourn, Secretary General of ASEAN.
Al-Budaiwi stated that it reflects a shared understanding of the importance of strengthening political consultation, exchanging views on issues of peace and economic development, and consolidating regional and international security and stability at a time when transformations are accelerating at various political, economic, and environmental levels.
"We see this meeting as a valuable opportunity to bolster the bonds of understanding between three major entities and discuss ways of coordination in various fields of common interest," he said.
Al-Budaiwi expressed his deep gratitude to the government and people of Malaysia for the hospitality, warm reception, and distinguished organisation of this historic summit, thanking the Prime Minister of Malaysia, for his generous patronage of the work of this important tripartite summit, which brings together the GCC, the ASEAN, and China.
"This meeting constitutes a starting point for renewed tripartite cooperation based on commonalities and serving the aspirations of our peoples," he said.
"The GCC celebrated two days ago the 44th anniversary of its founding, and continues with confidence its path towards promoting sustainable development, consolidating peace and stability in the region, and expanding its relations and partnerships with countries and international groups, especially with Asian partners with whom we have civilizational, historical, and mutual economic interests in the fields of trade, supply chains, renewable energy, and advanced technology. We aim through this to realise the aspirations of our peoples for sustainable growth," Al-Budaiwi pointed out.
"From Kuala Lumpur, this tripartite summit is launched to reflect a new reality confirmed by figures that do not accept interpretation, where the population of our countries represents more than 2.14 billion people, or about 27 percent of the world's population, within a market that extends from the Arabian Gulf to the Pacific Ocean, and carries enormous consumer and productive potential that cannot be ignored in the equations of the global economy. On the economic level, the gross domestic product of the GCC, ASEAN, and China is more than 24 trillion US dollars, which is equivalent to more than 22% of the global product, with expectations of annual growth ranging from 4 percent to 6 percent until 2030, driven by digital transformation, clean energy, and smart supply chains. At the level of trade exchange, the volume of trade between the GCC countries and both China and ASEAN together amounted to about 347 billion dollars in 2023, which represents more than a third of the GCC's trade with all countries of the world. There are clear indications that this figure may exceed 500 billion dollars by 2030, in light of the escalating sectoral partnerships and the liberalisation of markets," he added.
Moreover, Al-Budaiwi stated that these figures, in their essence, are a clear call to activate partnership, deepen trust, and build a development model based on sharing opportunities and sustaining returns.
He pointed out that experience has proven that the commonalities outweigh the differences, and that "we are able, through this tripartite partnership, to establish relations based on mutual respect, equality, sovereignty, and common benefits, and contribute to establishing the pillars of regional and international stability and facing global challenges." "Cooperation with ASEAN has constituted a successful model for integration between blocs, and this cooperation culminated in the Riyadh Summit in October 2023, which established a strategic framework for the period (2024-2028), and it includes the fields of politics, economy, energy, food security, technology, and other aspects of joint cooperation," he added. "On the other hand, our relations with the People's Republic of China are witnessing rapid growth and qualitative development, as the first Gulf-Chinese summit hosted by Riyadh in December 2022 resulted in the adoption of the Joint Action Plan (2023-2027), which covered a wide range of areas of cooperation, from politics and economics, energy, and space, to the environment, agriculture, education, tourism, technology, and cybersecurity. The People's Republic of China is one of the most important trading partners of the GCC countries," he explained.
Meanwhile, the GCC Chief shed light on a number of areas of common interest to "our countries", such as strengthening food and energy security in the face of geopolitical fluctuations, accelerating digital transformation through the establishment of innovation centres and joint technological empowerment, confronting climate change by investing in clean energy, expanding green financing tools, and protecting freedom of navigation and the safety of maritime lanes, especially in the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden, as a vital element for international trade.
"These issues are pillars for building an equitable regional-global system, in which our tripartite blocs contribute thanks to the strength of their population, their economic weight, their geographical diversity, and their deep cultures," he continued.
"One of the most pressing issues at the present time is the tragedy of the Gaza Strip, where we look forward to the success of the ongoing negotiations to stop the fighting, release the hostages and detainees, and resume the delivery of humanitarian aid to the besieged population," he mentioned.
"We hope to overcome this difficult stage, and we emphasise that the sustainable solution lies in a just settlement of the Palestinian cause, leading to the establishment of an independent Palestinian state in accordance with United Nations resolutions and the Arab Peace Initiative, which would pave the way for peace, a decent and safe life, and prosperity for all the peoples of the region," said Al-Budaiwi.
"We reiterate the firm position of the GCC countries in supporting the Palestinian people in all areas," he stressed.
Al-Budaiwi also touched on the increasing threats in the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden, which affect the interests of global trade and energy security, and the need for a unified international position to protect waterways and ensure freedom of navigation, as well as to confront piracy, attacks, and external interference that undermine the security of the region, in accordance with international law and the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea.
Al-Budaiwi concluded his speech by saying, "what brings us together today is a strong economy, a large population, and a shared vision that goes beyond narrow calculations towards building a more just, balanced, and respectful regional system for the rights of peoples to development, security, and dignity. We seize this moment to transform it into a solid beginning for a strategic partnership that moves towards the future with confidence, and contributes to shaping a more balanced, fair, and sustainable world." (pickup previous) aab.bb