BEIJING, Sept. 1 (Xinhua) -- China is ready to
develop a strategic partnership based on peace and prosperity with the
Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), said Li Changchun, a senior
official of the Communist Party of China (CPC), here on Thursday.
Li, member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau
of the CPC Central Committee, made the remarks during a meeting Thursday night
with ASEAN Secretary General Ong Keng Yong, who was here attending the
"ASEAN Cultural Week," an event marking the beginning of the 8th Asia Arts
Festival held in China.
Established in 1998, the Asia Arts Festivals received
a total of 121 art groups from 22 Asian countries in its previous sessions. The
theme of this year's festival is "Learn from each other, develop in harmony."
Li said China is ready to develop the partnership on
the basis of the five principles of peaceful coexistence and the ASEAN Treaty of
Amity and Cooperation signed in 1976.
This year marks the 15th
anniversary of the dialogue mechanism between China and ASEAN. Li said China and ASEAN are "good
neighbors," "good partners" and "good friends."
China hopes to further promote bilateral cooperation
not only in trade and economy, but also in social, cultural, political and
security fields, said Li.
On his part, Ong said China
has played an important role in promoting unity and cooperation between ASEAN
members, and he believes the Cultural Week would further enhance mutual
understanding and friendship and lay a solid foundation for cultural exchange and
cooperation between China and ASEAN as well as cultural cooperation among ASEAN plus three countries
(China, Japan, the Republic of Korea). Enditem