China's Premier Li Qiang speaks during the 26th ASEAN-China Summit at the 43rd ASEAN Summit in Jakarta on Sept 6, 2023. (POOL VIA AFP)

JAKARTA – Chinese Premier Li Qiang urged on Thursday the East Asia Summit to stick to its own role and play a greater part in helping achieve long-term stability and lasting prosperity in the region in the face of the new situation and challenges.

Addressing the 18th East Asia Summit in Jakarta, Li said the summit should first better play its role in promoting development and energizing regional growth.

Secondly, it should better play the role of strategic dialogue so as to enhance mutual understanding and trust among all parties, he added.

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The Chinese premier also called on the summit to facilitate ASEAN's centrality and jointly promote inclusive and win-win cooperation.

East Asia is fully aware of the difficulties of development, the necessity of openness, and the value of peace, he said.

In recent decades, East Asia has seized the opportunities of the times amid waves of economic globalization, firmly embarked on the right path of open development and win-win cooperation, and thus become an important engine for world development, he said.

The region also well understands that unity means prosperity and division entails decline, Li added.

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Pointing out that China and ASEAN countries are actively promoting consultations on the Code of Conduct in the South China Sea, he expressed his hope that countries outside the region fully respect the efforts made by regional countries to negotiate the rules of the South China Sea and maintain peace and stability in the region.