Chinese Mandarin - Ties with ASEAN to be strengthened

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BIZCHINA / Center

Ties with ASEAN to be strengthened

By Li Xiaokun (China Daily)
Updated: 2007-08-01 08:46

China will work more closely with the Association of Southeast Asian
Nations (ASEAN) by setting up a free trade area and deepening its
partnership in finance, infrastructure, information and communications,
Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi said in Manila yesterday.

Foreign ministers of the 10 ASEAN members, as well as those from China,
Japan and the Republic of Korea (ROK), are in the Philippines capital to
attend the annual meeting of what is called ASEAN+3.

The meeting discussed issues of regional concern, including urging the
Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) to give up its nuclear
program, and cooperation in the East Asian region.

"The launch of the ASEAN+3 scheme has created a new channel for Southeast
Asian countries' unity, cooperation and mutual benefit. It is useful as
an experience, too, for regional cooperation in Asia," Yang said.

Despite the great achievements of the past decade, the region faces major
challenges ahead, including correcting the unbalanced economic growth,
tackling the threats to peace and stability and the need to enhance
competitiveness, Yang said.

Countries in the region should "respect each other and shelve their
differences to seek common ground".

At the start of the meeting, the foreign ministers stood in silence for
two of the 23 abducted South Koreans killed by the Taliban in
Afghanistan. They appealed, on humanitarian grounds, for the immediate
and unconditional release of the 21 hostages.

Yang reached Manila on Monday to attend the 14th Asia Regional Forum
(ARF), the region's largest security meeting, as well as a series of
other talks with ASEAN members and their dialogue partners.

Yang met with his counterparts from the Philippines, Singapore and
Australia yesterday.

US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice didn't attend the ARF for the
second time in three years because of "more important" engagements
elsewhere.

"As a large country in Asia, China pays more attention to regional
affairs, while as a global power, the US is distracted by many other
concerns such as safety problems in Northeast Asia and the Middle East,"
director of Southeast Asian Studies of the China Institute of
Contemporary International Relations Zhai Kun said.

He was responding to some foreign experts who have said Rice's absence
could help China build ties and trust in Southeast Asia at the expense of
the US.

"The cooperation between China and ASEAN is not exclusive, and it's not
directed against or achieved at the expense of any country," Renmin
University's professor of international relations Jin Canrong said.

Trade between China and ASEAN, expanding by nearly 40 percent a year, is
likely to exceed $200 billion in 2008, two years before a free trade area
is scheduled for.

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