ASEAN-CHINA MEETING HOPES TO CHART COURSE TO FTA,

C O N F I D E N T I A L BEIJING 022628 SIPDIS SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/25/2016 TAGS: PREL ETRD ASEAN CH SUBJECT: ASEAN-CHINA MEETING HOPES TO CHART COURSE TO FTA, NEXT 15 YEARS OF PRC-SOUTHEAST ASIA RELATIONS REF: BEIJING 22370 Classified By: Political Section External Unit Chief Edgard Kagan. Reasons 1.4 (b/d). ¶1. (C) Summary: The October 30-31 ASEAN-China Prime Ministers' meeting in Guangxi Province will celebrate 15 years of China's special dialogue partnership with ASEAN and chart the course for the next 15 years, including implementation of an ASEAN-China Free Trade Agreement. MFA officials planning the forum said leaders from all 10 ASEAN member states will attend, meet with Premier Wen Jiabao and sign a joint statement. Leaders from seven of the 10 countries, including Burma and Indonesia, will stay in China for ongoing bilateral activities but will not visit Beijing. End Summary. ¶2. (C) Premier Wen Jiabao will host leaders from all ten ASEAN countries at the October 30-31 commemorative summit between ASEAN and China, MFA Asia Department ASEAN Division Deputy Director Mao Ning told poloff. The summit commemorates the 15th anniversary of China's participation in ASEAN meetings and the tenth anniversary of China's participation as a full ASEAN dialogue partner, she said. FM Li Zhaoxing and Commerce Minister Bo Xilai will be part of the Chinese delegation that hosting visiting heads of state and ministers from the ASEAN member states. ¶3. (C) China anticipates that the leaders will sign and release a joint statement discussing the process toward implementing a China-ASEAN Free Trade Agreement and outlining a roadmap for the next 15 years of relations between China and ASEAN, Mao said. ASEAN and Chinese trade ministers agreed in 2005 to the contents of an FTA for goods but an agreement on services has proved more difficult, so China expects the visiting leaders to state their determination to push negotiations before the 2010 deadline to complete the FTA. Mao said draft texts have been negotiated already between MFA, the ASEAN Secretariat and officials from Brunei, the coordinator for China as an ASEAN dialogue partner this year. However, she made clear that the final version of the joint statement will be revised depending on discussions among leaders at the summit. Thai Interim PM, Burmese leader, Others to Attend -------------- -------------- ¶4. (C) Leaders from all ten ASEAN countries, including interim Thai Prime Minister Surayat, have confirmed their attendance at the summit, Mao said. Singapore's Prime Minister Lee will visit Guangxi, Chongqing and Guangzhou before the summit, while Philippines President Arroyo and Indonesian President Yodhoyono will stay on in China after the Summit, diplomats from those embassies in Beijing told us. State-run media said Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen will pay a working visit to Shandong Province after the summit. Leaders from Burma, Malaysia and Vietnam will also stay in China for additional visits after the summit, MFA's Mao said. But none will travel to Beijing for a state visit to avoid conflict with the 40-some visiting heads of state in the capital for the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation, she added (reftel). Randt