The 12th China-ASEAN Senior Officials' Consultation opened Monday in Cambodia's tourism city, Siem Reap, about 320 km north of the capital Phnom Penh, with an aim to deepen cooperation between the two sides.

 

Chinese Vice Foreign Minister Wu Dawei and his counterparts from ASEAN nations and ASEAN Secretary-General Ong Keng Yong attended the two-day meeting to be held on May 29-30.

 

During the meeting, the two sides will exchange views in an in-depth manner on deepening the Chine-ASEAN strategic partnership for peace and prosperity, China-ASEAN cooperation on non-traditional security, future direction of the China-ASEAN dialogue relations, as well as international and regional issues of common concern.

 

Kao Kim Hourn, secretary of state of Cambodia's Foreign Ministry, on Monday highly valued the cooperation between China and ASEAN in the fields of politics, economics, culture and security. He said such cooperation will be sure to benefit the strengthening of the region's peace, stability and development.

 

Kao also commended the important role played by China in promoting the negotiation on the issue of Korean Peninsula and the role in the regional and international affairs.

 

Wu said that China and ASEAN have made significant progress in many areas for the past 15 years which, he said, "have further strengthened the resolve of us to deepen the cooperation between us."

 

China will support the process of the ASEAN integration and the building of ASEAN community, Wu said, adding "the rapidly growth of China's economy will not only serve to Chinese people but also benefit to the people in region and world."

 

The China-ASEAN consultation was launched in 1995 as an annual event at which the two sides could exchange opinions.

 

During the meeting, officials would also prepare for the China-ASEAN commemorative summit in Nanning, capital of South China's Guangxi Autonomous Region, in October to mark the 15th anniversary of the China-ASEAN dialogue.

 

ASEAN groups Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Singapore, Thailand, the Philippines and Vietnam.

 

(Xinhua News Agency May 30, 2006)