The relations between China and the Association of Southeast
Asian Nations (ASEAN) have developed rapidly since the
establishment of regular dialogue between the two sides 15 years
ago, Malaysian Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi has said
recently.
In an interview with Xinhua, Badawi said that continuous and
significant progress had been made in the development of China-
ASEAN relations in various fields over that period.
China had become a close friend of ASEAN and the cooperation
between the two sides had been fruitful, said the prime
minister.
He stressed that in the security field, China and some ASEAN
countries had reached mutual understanding on some issues,
including the South China Sea issue, which, to a certain extent,
had increased the mutual understanding between the two sides and
made contributions to the stability of the South China Sea
region.
Badawi said that China had been working at developing economic
and trade ties with ASEAN, and had given it significant support in
this field. ASEAN countries were grateful for China's support, he
added.
He said that ASEAN would never forget China's contribution in
helping its member nations conquer the financial crisis of 1997 by
promising not to devalue its currency, the renminbi.
The Malaysian leader also praised the development of
Sino-Malaysian relations.
The trade ties between the two sides were more active than in
the past, and the trade volume was continuing to increase, he
noted.
Badawi stressed that China was Malaysia's friend and Malaysia
had maintained close consultation and cooperation with China in
many fields.
His country was looking forward to deepening and broadening its
relations with China, he said.
Badawi rejected the so-called "China threat" opinion held by
some.
China's economic development had benefited Malaysia in many ways
and China's success had made contributions to Malaysia's success
and the stability of Southeast Asia, he noted.
As a permanent member of the United Nations Security Council,
China was playing an important role in the Asia-Pacific region,
especially in resolving the Korean Peninsula nuclear crisis, the
Malaysian leader said.
He said he believed that China would play a much more active
role in the regional, as well as the global economic and political
arena in the future.
As to the East Asia Summit, Badawi said the prospects for the
summit were good but more time was needed to perfect it.
He pointed out that some countries like Pakistan and Mongolia,
which attach great importance to developing relations with ASEAN
and which maintained close relations with the bloc, were hopeful of
becoming part of the East Asia summit.
In a bid to overcome differences in the levels of development
between the ASEAN member states, Badawi said that the bloc had
worked out plans to help new ASEAN members Myanmar, Laos, Cambodia
and Vietnam consolidate their national stability and many plans
were to be implemented by 2015.
Badawi pointed out that ASEAN member countries were actively
cooperating in their economic relations with each other.
He believed that such economic cooperation would accelerate the
reduction of the differences in the levels of development between
the member states.
(Xinhua News Agency October 21, 2006)