东亚的长治久安需要有坚实的制度安排。中方正与东盟国家商讨签署“睦邻友好合作条约”，就是为双方世代和平共处提供制度框架和法律保障。中国是首个加入《东南亚友好合作条约》的东盟对话伙伴，也愿成为首个与东盟签署友好合作条约的对话伙伴。中国和东盟国家都需要和平稳定，任何冲突都不符合本地区人民的共同利益。中国维护领土主权的意志是明确的，维护地区和平稳定的决心也是坚定的。中国愿以商签此条约为契机，与更多地区国家探讨达成睦邻友好法律文件，推动实现东亚持久和平。明年中国愿主办中国-东盟国防部长非正式会晤，探讨建立中国-东盟防务热线，并加强防务安全合作。中方倡导“共同、综合、合作和可持续”的亚洲安全观，欢迎俄罗斯、印尼、印度等提出的地区安全合作原则倡议，建议峰会共同就相关安全合作理念和原则深入探讨，积累共识，为地区安全稳定做出努力。

To achieve durable peace and stability in East Asia requires the backing of strong institutional arrangements. China and ASEAN countries are discussing the possibility of concluding a treaty on good-neighborliness, friendship and cooperation, which is aimed at providing an institutional framework and legal guarantee for peaceful co-existence between the two sides from generation to generation. China was the first ASEAN dialogue partner to accede to the Treaty of Amity and Cooperation in Southeast Asia, and it stands ready to become the first dialogue partner to sign with ASEAN a treaty of friendship and cooperation. Both China and ASEAN countries need peace and stability, as conflicts do not serve the common interests of people in this region. China’s resolve to safeguard territorial sovereignty is clear and its determination to uphold regional peace and stability is firm. China is ready to take the negotiations on signing the treaty as an opportunity to explore the conclusion of legal documents on good-neighborliness with more countries in the region with a view to achieving lasting peace in East Asia. China will be happy to host an Informal ASEAN-China Defense Ministers’ Meeting next year, and explore the possibility of opening a defense hotline to enhance defense and security cooperation. China advocates an Asian security concept that features common, comprehensive, cooperative and sustainable security and welcomes initiatives on regional security cooperation principles as proposed by Russia, Indonesia and India. China proposes that the EAS conduct in-depth discussions on the outlook and principles for security cooperation in order to build consensus and make joint efforts to ensure security and stability in the region.

南海形势总体是稳定的，航行自由和安全也是有保障的。今年以来，中国与东盟国家就全面有效落实《南海各方行为宣言》、推进海上务实合作，进行了密切有效的对话与沟通。我们明确了处理南海问题“双轨思路”，即有关具体争议由直接当事国在尊重历史事实和国际法基础上，通过谈判协商和平解决，南海和平稳定由中国和东盟国家共同加以维护。我们同意积极开展磋商，在协商一致基础上早日达成“南海行为准则”。这方面已经取得了早期收获。我们同意在各国海事部门间建立海上联合搜救热线平台，在外交部门间建立应对海上紧急事态高官热线。各方还在探讨建立南海沿岸国之间的各种交流合作机制。在寻求解决争议的过程中，中方倡议有关国家积极探讨共同开发，这也是管控分歧现实有效的办法。邻国是不能选择的，彼此长相往来，低头不见抬头见，磕磕碰碰在所难免。中国古训说“里仁为美”，只要我们始终秉持以诚相待、求同存异之心，就没有迈不过去的坎，爬不过去的坡。

The situation in the South China Sea is on the whole stable, and the freedom and safety of navigation in the South China Sea is ensured. Since the beginning of this year, China and ASEAN countries have conducted close and effective dialogue and communication on full and effective implementation of the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea (DOC) and on promoting practical maritime cooperation. We identified the dual-track approach for dealing with the South China Sea issue, according to which specific disputes are to be peacefully resolved through negotiation and consultation by countries directly concerned on the basis of respecting historical facts and international law, and peace and stability in the South China Sea be jointly upheld by China and ASEAN countries working together. We agreed to actively carry out consultation to reach, on the basis of consensus and at an early date, a code of conduct in the South China Sea, for which early harvest has been achieved. We agreed to establish a hotline platform for joint search and rescue at sea among our maritime authorities as well as a senior officials’ hotline among foreign ministries of various countries for coping with maritime contingencies. In addition, parties concerned are exploring the establishment of various mechanisms of exchanges and cooperation among littoral states of the South China Sea. In seeking the settlement of disputes, China proposes that relevant countries actively explore joint development, as this is a realistic and effective way to manage differences. Neighbors are not something to be chosen. Frictions and even disputes are hardly avoidable in the interactions of neighbors. The ancient Chinese believed in harmony with neighbors. I believe that as long as we treat each other with sincerity and seek common ground while reserving differences, there would be no insurmountable obstacles that will stand in our way.