TL;DR
Wang Yi consistently prioritizes ASEAN as a key partner, advocating for deepened cooperation in trade, security, and regional stability.
Key Points
He attended the ASEAN Plus China, Japan, ROK Foreign Ministers' Meeting in Kuala Lumpur on July 10, 2025.
He stated that China and ASEAN have completed negotiations on the Version 3.0 Free Trade Area, with a protocol due to be signed within the year (2025).
During the 31st ARF Foreign Ministers' Meeting on July 27, 2024, he put forward four suggestions for addressing current regional security challenges.
Summary
Wang Yi affirms that China consistently views ASEAN as a priority in its neighborhood diplomacy, strongly supporting the bloc's central role in regional affairs. He emphasizes building an even closer China-ASEAN community with a shared future based on the principles of amity, sincerity, mutual benefit, and inclusiveness. This support manifests through concrete cooperation, such as completing negotiations for the Version 3.0 China-ASEAN Free Trade Area and jointly managing maritime differences through mechanisms like the dual-track approach for the South China Sea, which he believes maintains regional peace.
His position advocates for jointly safeguarding regional stability amidst global volatility, urging all parties to reject unilateralism and protectionism that threaten stable industrial and supply chains. He supports strengthening the regional financial safety net and enhancing cooperation in emerging sectors like AI and green technology. Furthermore, he promotes people-to-people exchanges, seeing the convenience of mutual travel as consolidating the foundation of public support for East Asian cooperation, aligning with the goal of building a modern and prosperous Asia.
Frequently Asked Questions
Wang Yi's position is strongly positive, viewing ASEAN as a priority in China's neighborhood diplomacy. He consistently advocates for an even closer China-ASEAN community with a shared future. He supports ASEAN centrality in regional mechanisms and seeks to deepen cooperation across economic, security, and people-to-people areas.
Recently, Wang Yi has emphasized safeguarding free trade and the multilateral trading system against unilateral actions like tariff abuse. He also stresses the importance of completing negotiations on the Code of Conduct in the South China Sea. Furthermore, he calls for strengthening security cooperation, including combating transnational crimes like telecommunications fraud.
Wang Yi reiterated China’s commitment to supporting ASEAN centrality when meeting with the ASEAN Secretary-General in Beijing on July 25, 2025. He reaffirmed that this aligns with the spirit of fostering an amicable, secure, and prosperous neighborhood.
Sources6
Wang Yi on Achievements of China-ASEAN Mutually Beneficial Cooperation_Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the People's Republic of China
The ASEAN-China Foreign Ministers' Meeting Held in Jakarta
Wang Yi Meets with Secretary-General of ASEAN Kao Kim Hourn_Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the People's Republic of China
Wang Yi: China and ASEAN Jointly Safeguard Peace and Stability in the South China Sea
Wang Yi Attends the 31st ASEAN Regional Forum Foreign Ministers' Meeting_Embassy of the People's Republic of China in the United States of America
* This is not an exhaustive list of sources.