Commentary: Top official's visit to Southeast Asia advances China's neighborhood diplomacy

China's top political advisor Yu Zhengsheng's visit to Thailand and Indonesia on July 21-28 showcased another practice of Beijing's neighborhood diplomacy, and gave fresh impetus to the Belt and Road initiative and the notion of building a community of common destiny with neighboring countries.

Yu's visit, coming shortly after that of Vice Premier Zhang Gaoli to Vietnam in mid-July, is the second visit by a senior Chinese official to Southeast Asia within a month, exemplifying China's high willingness to develop relations with neighboring countries.

China's neighborhood has been its foundation for prosperity. Beijing has over the years formed a mature, comprehensive set of neighborhood diplomatic policies under the key concept of "practicing closeness, sincerity, sharing in prosperity and inclusiveness."

The notions that "China and Thailand are family" and that "China and Vietnam are good neighbors, good friends, good comrades and good partners" are vivid examples of the aforementioned concept, and are concrete outcomes of China's diplomatic policy system regarding its neighbors.

With the neighborhood diplomatic policies being guidelines, building the Belt and Road initiative serves as a platform for China and its neighboring countries to address common interests through pragmatic cooperation.

The starting point of the Belt and Road initiative is to seek the common development and prosperity of countries along the routes. It adheres to the idea of building a community of common destiny and underscores an approach of equality, reciprocity, dialogue, joint development and sharing achievements.

Just like President Xi Jinpin has put it, the Belt and Road initiative "will not be a solo for China but a real chorus comprising all countries along the routes."

Data from the Ministry of Commerce showed that direct investment by Chinese enterprises in 48 countries along the Belt and Road routes totaled 7.05 billion U.S. dollars in the first half of 2015, up 22.2 percent year on year.

Moreover, Bangkok's development strategy focusing on its Border Economic Zones dovetails with Beijing's Belt and Road initiative, providing opportunities for win-win cooperation between the two countries.

Indonesia's development plan envisioning the country as a "global maritime fulcrum" meshes well with the Belt and Road initiative, which provides ample opportunities for connecting the two countries' development strategies, promoting their mutually beneficial cooperation and achieving common prosperity, thus putting Sino-Indonesian relations on the fast track to development.

China, having the most neighboring countries in the world and sharing land borders with 14 countries, is playing an unprecedented role in driving the economic development of its neighbors.

Only when the neighborhood enjoys prosperity, harmony and security can the whole region be prosperous, harmonious and secure. To many of its neighboring countries, China is becoming the very cornerstone for peace and stability in the Asia Pacific region.

As President Xi said, China wants to substantiate and deepen its diplomatic policies designed for neighboring countries, and it welcomes all of them to take a ride on the Chinese "express train" of development. Endite