T

he Jakarta Channel was officially put forward as a new concept in China-ASEAN relations by Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi in September 2018, when he met with a visiting delegation from the Committee of Permanent Representatives to ASEAN and the ASEAN Secretariat in Beijing. In his remarks, he gave his full recognition to the Jakarta Channel and conveyed his high expectations that it would play a bigger role in growing China-ASEAN ties.

It is not surprising that the term emerged from the China-ASEAN lexicon. Since its establishment in 1991, the relationship between China and ASEAN has played a pioneering role in ASEAN’s relations with its dialogue partners. China was the first to join the Treaty of Amity and Cooperation in Southeast Asia (TAC), the first to explicitly support ASEAN centrality in regional cooperation, the first to establish a strategic partnership with ASEAN, and the first to sign a free trade agreement with ASEAN. In this way, China and ASEAN have set an example of jointly upholding multilateralism and seeking common development through mutual respect and win-win cooperation.

Furthermore, through last year’s consultations via the Jakarta Channel, the ASEAN-China Strategic Partnership Vision 2030 was completed as a key outcome document of the 21st ASEAN-China Summit. It made China the first ASEAN dialogue partner to map out a medium- and long-term vision for the relationship going forward.

To broaden the scope of the Jakarta Channel, the Chinese Mission to ASEAN and the Permanent Mission of the Philippines to ASEAN, as the country coordinator of China-ASEAN relations, co-founded the “Jakarta Forum on China-ASEAN Relations” (Jakarta Forum) with the kind support of the ASEAN Secretariat. The forum aims at stimulating discussions and innovative ideas, identifying new growth areas and pooling wisdom and resources towards building a regional community with a shared future.

In broader terms, the Jakarta Channel refers to a multilateral platform of East Asia cooperation, with Jakarta being the home of the ASEAN Secretariat headquarters, supported by mechanisms led by ASEAN and the extensive network of ASEAN and its dialogue partners.


The headwinds of unilateralism, protectionism and power politics are stronger than ever.


In recent years, with the growing dynamism and more significant role of the Jakarta Channel, there have been substantial increases in resources from various partners, including human capital and cooperation projects, with a common goal of advancing regional cooperation and reinforcing regional stability and development.

Among the many tasks it undertakes, drafting outcome documents of leaders meetings now has a bigger share. In recent years, more than two-thirds of the outcome documents under the ASEAN Plus One, ASEAN Plus Three, and East Asia Summit were negotiated and completed via the Jakarta Channel. From poverty alleviation to smart cities, from marine environmental protection to counterterrorism and combating transnational crimes, the Jakarta Channel is gaining increasing weight, both regionally and globally, as a platform for upholding multilateralism and enhancing cooperation on regional governance, setting or improving codes of conduct, and nurturing shared values.

The Jakarta Channel champions multilateralism with East Asian characteristics, featuring established principles that govern state-to-state interactions, including ASEAN centrality, equality, consensus, mutual learning and shared benefits, to name but a few. These principles are rooted in the traditions, cultures and values that the countries in this region proudly share, such as mutual respect, seeking common ground while preserving differences, openness, inclusiveness and mutual assistance. These are unique features that underlie the multilateral approach of the Jakarta Channel and the spirit we uphold in regional cooperation.

Guided by these beliefs, we have worked together for years to counter challenges and difficulties, to enhance friendship and mutual trust through cooperation and mutual learning, and to manage differences and expanded consensus. Through joint efforts, the Jakarta Channel has become a model of multilateralism. To use an analogy, what is happening at the Jakarta Channel is neither a solo nor a duet; it is a symphony of extensive participation, joint contribution and shared benefits.

The decades-long peace, stability and growth in East Asia are attributable to not only the diligence and wisdom of the people, but also the process of economic globalization, free trade, regional cooperation and multilateralism. This was the case in the past and it will remain so in the future.

Yet, amid the dynamic changes in the global and regional landscape, there are increasing uncertainties and elements of instability and in particular, the headwinds of unilateralism, protectionism and power politics are stronger than ever. Multilateralism is under grave threat.

A superpower for which hegemony is usual practice, unfortunately believes that it has been taken advantage of by every other country in the world. It excuses itself for exercising maximum pressure on others, through weaponizing tariffs and other coercive and protectionist measures, at the expense of existing international rules, order and the multilateral trading system that it once claimed to hold dearly to.

It is certain that multilateralism is under severe threat. And it is already crystal clear from whence this threat comes. If such arbitrary deeds and use of maximum pressure are allowed to prevail, the world will go back to the era of the dark forest ruled by jungle law, and the final toll will fall on each and every country. Should such a scenario occur, big countries may have some room to maneuver, but small and medium-sized countries and the multilateralism they rely on would take the heaviest blow.

The Jakarta Channel is ever more valuable against this backdrop, and its multilateral spirit with East Asian characteristics is ever more relevant in today’s world. Recently, a growing number of countries, regional countries in particular, have made their common voice heard, whether at the recently concluded ASEAN Plus Three Senior Officials Meeting, the Shangri-La Dialogue or the Future of Asia conference, among other multilateral forums. They expressed their clear opposition to unilateralism and protectionism, and voiced their strong support for free trade and multilateralism.

We are now at a crossroads, and what tomorrow looks like hinges on what we believe in and act upon. It is the call of our times that the Jakarta Channel is playing a bigger role and is shouldering greater responsibilities to champion and defend multilateralism towards a future for us all and the generations to come.

__________________________

The writer is China’s ambassador to ASEAN.