The most important message, however, was China's first-ever mention of the freedom of overflight in the South China Sea - the longstanding concern of Asean following China's declaration of an air defence identification zone in November, 2013.
During the post ministerial meeting on August 6, Wang Yi again reiterated China's must-do list for the grouping under the leadership of President Xi Jinping with another 10-point proposal. Some elements were not new but they were aimed at reassuring Asean of Beijing's intention and future actions, especially in the South China Sea.
Both sides agreed that the process had entered a new phase with plans to formulate the second list of commonalities, the establishment of an Eminent Persons and Experts Group, the hotlines for search and rescue and emergencies preventive measures.