The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and China announced in Bali, Indonesia Wednesday that they will establish "a strategic partnership for peace and prosperity."

The announcement came in a declaration signed by Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao and leaders of the ten-member ASEAN after their meeting.

"In today's world that is undergoing complex and profound changes, the enhanced cooperation between ASEAN and China, as two important partners in the Asia-Pacific region, will serve the immediate and long term interests of both sides and is conducive to peace and prosperity in the region," the declaration said.

"To this end, we agree that ASEAN and China establish 'a strategic partnership for peace and prosperity.'"

The purpose of the establishment of a strategic partnership for peace and prosperity is "to foster friendly relations, mutually beneficial cooperation and good neighborliness" between ASEAN and China by deepening and expanding ASEAN-China cooperative relations in a comprehensive manner in the 21st century, the leaders declared.

"This strategic partnership is non-aligned, non-military, and non-exclusive, and does not prevent the participants from developing their all-directional ties of friendship and cooperation with others," the leaders affirmed.
 
In another development, China formally joins the Treaty of Amity and Cooperation in Southeast Asia (TAC) on Wednesday after Chinese Foreign Minister Li Zhaoxing and foreign ministers of 10 ASEAN members signed a document on China's accession to the treaty.

(Source: Xinhua News Agency October 8, 2003)