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By APD Writer Melo M. Acuna
MANILA, Oct. 21 (APD) – China has undergone significant progress over the years and with President Xi Jinping’s leadership, closer diplomatic and better economic relations with ASEAN would be assured.
Former Executive and Labor and Employment Secretary Ruben D. Torres said he’s happy with China’s “One Belt, One Road” program which President Xi launched in 2013 as China assumes its role in the world.
He served executive secretary to President Fidel V. Ramos during the early 1990s.
With the 19th National Congress of the Communist Party of China, Secretary Torres said he sees a continuity of the government’s existing policies simply because the policies introduced by President Xi has been accepted by ASEAN among other countries.
“President Xi’s policies are good not only for China but for ASEAN and that China will take its lead in free trade,” he further said.
Mr. Torres now sits as Chairman of the ASEAN Trade Union Council.
He expressed optimism ASEAN and its dialogue partners like China, South Korea and Japan would enhance coordination and cooperation among existing trade unions.
He added while the United States of America under President Donald Trump has opted to take the so-called “America First” approach to the economy, China has underscored the need for free trade.
“No country must close its doors because we all belong to a global community,” Mr. Torres said.
He added China-ASEAN relations has shifted to “warmer, closer conditions” and nobody is against engagements with China.
China and ASEAN demographics would explain the need to tap each other’s market because China has over 1.3 billion people and ASEAN has 640 million people.
“Both China and ASEAN are important trading blocks as in the Philippines, one cannot find a store that does not sell Chinese-made products,” Mr. Torres said.
(ASIA PACIFIC DAILY)
