China will promote comprehensive cooperation with ASEAN in economy,
politics, security, science and technology, culture and other
fields, said a Chinese senior official in Phnom Penh on Monday.
In a speech at the 25th General Assembly of ASEAN
Inter-Parliamentary Organization (AIPO), Wang Yingfan,
vice-chairman of the Foreign Affairs Committee of the National
People's Congress (NPC) of China, reaffirmed that "China will
always be a good neighbor, a good friend and a good partner of
ASEAN."
"The NPC of China stands ready to make joint efforts with AIPO
and its member parliaments to push ahead the friendly cooperation,
and make contributions to peace, stability and prosperity in our
region," Wang added.
In recent years, the relationship between China and the
Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) has become more
mature, said Wang.
Good-neighborly ties and mutual trust have been enhanced, and
the economic cooperation and trade between China and ASEAN
countries have developed drastically, he added.
Wang said the trade volume between China and ASEAN reached
USD72.85 billion in 2003. China is the fourth largest trading
partner of ASEAN, while ASEAN ranks the fifth among China's major
trading partners.
And in the first half of this year, bilateral trade volume has
hit USD47.8 billion, up 39.7 percent compared with the same period
of last year.
Wang also highly praised the constructive role played by the
ASEAN in the region and in international affairs, as well as AIPO
as an important arena to strengthen exchanges and promote
cooperation among ASEAN countries.
China's NPC established links with AIPO in 1991. More than 300
delegates from inside and outside ASEAN attended the four-day
meeting which opened Monday.
(Xinhua News Agency September 14, 2004)
