The relations between China and the Association of Southeast Asian Countries (ASEAN) are at the "best period" in the history, Gu Xiulian, chairwoman of the China-ASEAN Association, said in Beijing Thursday evening.

China and the ASEAN have developed sound and all-round dialogue relations in the past years, with cooperation strengthened in sectors like culture, science and technology, energy and tourism, Gu said at a reception held by the China-ASEAN Association in Beijing.

The China-ASEAN Association held three major activities in 2006, namely the conference on China-ASEAN people-to-people friendship organizations in May, the reception marks the 15th anniversary of the establishment of dialogue relations between the two sides in July, and the China-ASEAN friendship tour in October and November.

"These activities have far-reaching effects and have greatly promoted bilateral relations," said Gu, also vice chairwoman of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress of China.

The China-ASEAN Association, founded on August 3, 2004, aims to promote people-to-people and non-governmental cooperation between China and the ASEAN. It helps enhance mutual understanding and friendship between the peoples of China and the ASEAN countries by holding various activities, including personnel exchanges, seminars and cultural events.

Foreign envoys from the ASEAN countries such as Brunei, Laos, Malaysia, the Philippines, Thailand, Vietnam and Indonesia attended the reception.

Ambassador of Brunei Darussalam Abdul Hamid said the year 2007 marks the 40th anniversary of the establishment of the ASEAN. He hoped the China-ASEAN relations could be lifted to new heights through more exchanges in social and cultural sectors and among the youth generation.

(Xinhua News Agency February 2, 2007)