Kuala Lumpur: GCC Secretary-General Jasem Mohamed AlBudaiwi hailed the GCC-ASEAN-China summit as an exceptional event that demonstrates a shared understanding of the importance of enhancing political consultations, exchanging views on issues of peace and economic development, and consolidating regional and international security and stability.
According to Qatar News Agency, addressing the summit held today in Malaysia's capital, Kuala Lumpur, Al Budaiwi said the GCC confidently continues its journey towards promoting sustainable development, consolidating peace and stability in the region, and expanding its relations and partnerships with countries and international groups, particularly with its Asian partners, with whom it shares cultural and historical ties and mutual economic interests in the fields of trade, supply chains, renewable energy, and advanced technology, thus enhancing the aspirations of sustainable growth.
He added that the GCC, ASEAN and China have a GDP of over US$ 24 trillion, more than 22% of the global GDP, with expectations of annual growth ranging between 4 and 6% until 2030, driven by digital transformation, clean energy, and smart supply chains.
Al Budaiwi added that the tripartite partnership would establish relations based on mutual respect, equality, sovereignty, and shared benefits, contributing to establishing the foundations of regional and international stability and confronting global challenges. He explained that cooperation with the ASEAN constituted a successful model of integration, culminating in the Riyadh Summit in October 2023, which established a strategic framework for the period (2024-2028), encompassing the fields of politics, economy, energy, food security, technology, and other aspects of joint cooperation.
He added that relations with China were rapidly growing, with the first GCC-China Summit in Riyadh in December 2022 resulting in the Joint Action Plan (2023-2027), which covered a wide range of areas of cooperation, from politics, economics, energy, and space, to the environment, agriculture, education, tourism, technology, and cybersecurity. He emphasized that China is one of the most important trading partners of the GCC countries.