At present, facing the impact of COVID-19, how to strengthen coordination and cooperation and promote regional economic development is a major challenge facing northeast Asian countries. It is a common goal for countries in Northeast Asia to jointly fight the epidemic and promote regional cooperation. In his speech at the opening ceremony of the sixth Russian Eastern Economic Forum on September 3, President Xi Jinping pointed out concrete and feasible ways to achieve this goal.
First, countries in Northeast Asia are helping each other to jointly respond to the challenges posed by the epidemic.
Northeast Asia was the first region to be hit by the epidemic. Countries in the region have been cooperating and helping each other to jointly meet the challenges of COVID-19. At the bilateral level, at the beginning of the epidemic, countries in Northeast Asia have extended a helping hand to China by providing a large amount of medical supplies. After the outbreak turned around, China actively shared its experience and provided material assistance to other countries in Northeast Asia. At the multilateral level, China has coordinated and cooperated with other Northeast Asian countries under various multilateral mechanisms on epidemic information, prevention and control measures, and management of entry-exit personnel.
Facts have proved that in the face of the major challenges posed by COVID-19, we will surely prevail over the epidemic as long as we adhere to the vision of a community with a shared future for mankind and work together in good faith. At present, the international community should focus on strengthening cooperation in vaccine research and development and production to provide more public goods to the international community. We should not label or stigmatize the epidemic. In particular, we should firmly oppose politicizing the issue of vaccine and virus tracing.
Second, continue to promote mutually beneficial cooperation and open up new prospects for regional economic cooperation.
At present, the international community is still reeling from the impact of the economic crisis and facing a major test of the ravaging epidemic. In the face of these challenges, the risks and uncertainties of the world economy have increased. Some countries pursue protectionism and unilateralism, which has had a serious negative impact on economic globalization and regional economic cooperation. For countries in Northeast Asia, the epidemic highlights the need to accelerate regional economic integration and usher in new opportunities for regional economic and trade cooperation.
China and Northeast Asian countries have responded to the economic challenges posed by the epidemic in various forms, strengthened economic and trade cooperation, and revived economic and trade vitality. At present, China and other Northeast Asian countries are conducting dialogue and cooperation under various regional economic cooperation frameworks, including the Cooperation between the Belt and Road Initiative and the Eurasian Economic Union, the construction of the China-Russia-Mongolia Economic Corridor, negotiations on the China-Japan-ROK Free Trade Area and the RCEP. In addition, there is broad space for cooperation in innovative development of digital economy and joint response to global climate change.
Finally, promoting regional peace and stability is an important foundation.
Regional peace and stability are an important prerequisite and guarantee for economic development. In the face of the challenges posed by the epidemic, factors affecting regional peace and stability are on the rise. In particular, external interference is having a serious negative impact on regional peace and stability. To maintain regional peace and stability is the common aspiration of all countries in the region and requires the joint efforts of all countries in the region. On the one hand, in the face of disputes, relevant countries can resolve them through dialogue, negotiation and consultation. On the other hand, countries in the region should work together to uphold regional peace and stability and oppose external forces interfering in regional affairs or undermining regional peace and stability. All countries need to strengthen solidarity and cooperation, adhere to the concept of common, comprehensive, cooperative and sustainable security in Asia, and promote peace, stability and development in the region.
The COVID-19 pandemic has posed severe challenges to countries in Northeast Asia and beyond, calling for solidarity and cooperation among all countries to overcome this global public health crisis. For northeast Asian countries, it is their common goal to jointly cope with common threats and challenges, promote regional peace and stability, and promote regional economic cooperation and development. Regional economic cooperation in Northeast Asia will undoubtedly inject new vitality into countries’ fight against the epidemic and promote development.
