China, Brunei should inject more certainty, positive energy into regional peace, stability: Xi

China and Brunei should strengthen strategic communication and deepen pragmatic cooperation to inject more certainty and positive energy into regional peace and stability, Chinese President Xi Jinping said on Tuesday.

Xi made the remarks when meeting with Haji Al-Muhtadee Billah, the Crown Prince and Senior Minister at the Prime Minister's Office of Brunei Darussalam, in Beijing.

"It has been 19 years since you last came to China. I welcome you to visit China again, and I believe this visit will deepen your understanding of Chinese modernization," Xi said.

"China and Brunei are close neighbors with our peoples closely linked by the Maritime Silk Road. This year marks the 35th anniversary of the diplomatic relations between China and Brunei. In the face of a volatile and tumultuous international landscape, both sides should be guided by the vision of building a China-Brunei community with a shared future, strengthen strategic communication, and deepen pragmatic cooperation, so as to inject more certainty and positive energy into regional peace and stability," said the Chinese president.

For his part, Billah hailed the friendship between the two countries and reaffirmed his country's commitment to the one-China principle.

"Mr. President, Brunei Darussalam and China are very close and longstanding friends, and we continue to respect and reaffirm our commitment to the one-China policy. Over the years, China has remained a steadfast partner. Your leadership and China's community with a shared future for mankind provide a platform for development on the basis of peace and stability," said Billah.

At the invitation of Chinese Vice President Han Zheng, Billah is paying an official visit to China from May 11 to 15.

China, Brunei should inject more certainty, positive energy into regional peace, stability: Xi

China has recorded ten consecutive quarters of growth in imports and exports with the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), the data for the second quarter of this year from the General Administration of Customs GAC) showed on Tuesday.

China's trade with ASEAN reached 4.34 trillion yuan (about 640 billion U.S. dollars) in the first half of 2026, marking an 18.2-percent increase compared to the same period of last year, according to GAC.

"In the first half of this year, China's imports and exports with ASEAN stood at 4.34 trillion yuan, up 18.2 percent year on year on. Of this total, imports and exports in the second quarter accounted for 2.37 trillion yuan which represented a year-on-year growth of 20.2 percent and marking the 10th consecutive quarter of growth.," said Lyu Daliang, a spokesman for the customs bureau, at a press briefing.

"China and ASEAN have continuously strengthened infrastructure connectivity. In the first half of the year, China's imports and exports with ASEAN via the new western land-sea corridor grew by 18.2 percent, with railway and highway transport increasing by 24.7 percent and 17.5 percent, respectively," Lyu said.

Established in 1967, ASEAN groups Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam and Timor-Leste.

China records ten consecutive quarters of trade growth with ASEAN