BEIJING, Nov. 28, 2004 (Xinhuanet) -- Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao arrivedin Vientiane, capital of Laos, on Sunday for an official visit to Laos and attend ASEAN-related summits.
China and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) will sign a series of agreements to enhance political trust and push for a China-ASEAN free trade area by 2010. Following is a chronology of Sino-ASEAN relations since 1991.
July 1991 -- Chinese Foreign Minister Qian Qichen is invited tothe opening ceremony of the 24th ASEAN Foreign Ministers' Meeting,marking the start of formal contact between China and ASEAN. Sincethen, the Chinese foreign minister has been invited to the ASEAN Foreign Ministers' Meeting every year.
July 1994 -- China attends the first meeting of the ASEAN Regional Forum in Thailand, as a consultative partner. At the meeting, Chinese Vice-Premier and Foreign Minister Qian Qichen puts forward five principles for Asia-Pacific security cooperation.
April 1995 -- The first Sino-ASEAN consultation at vice foreignministerial level is held in Hangzhou, China.
July 1996 -- The ASEAN Standing Committee elevates the status of China from consultative partnership to full dialogue partnership.
Dec. 1997 -- Chinese President Jiang Zemin attends the first "ASEAN+3" informal summit attended by leaders of ASEAN, China, Japan and South Korea and delivers a speech entitled "Join Hands in Cooperation and Build a Future Together."
At the first ASEAN-China (ASEAN+1) informal summit, Jiang also delivers a speech, calling for forging a good-neighborly partnership of mutual trust oriented to the 21st century.
Nov. 2000 -- The fourth ASEAN+1 summit is held in Singapore. Chinese Premier Zhu Rongji speaks positively of the relations between China and ASEAN and puts forward proposals for future cooperation in politics, human resources, high-tech, agriculture, trade, investment and infrastructure construction in the Mekong River Basin.
Nov. 2001 -- At the fifth ASEAN+1 summit in Brunei, the two sides agree on the establishment of a China-ASEAN free trade zone in the next 10 years.
Nov. 2002 -- Leaders of China and ASEAN sign the Framework Agreement on China-ASEAN Comprehensive Economic Cooperation in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, kicking off the free trade area process.
April 2003 -- Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao attends the China-ASEAN leaders' special meeting on SARS in Bangkok. The leaders discuss ways of enhancing regional cooperation and vow to take effective measures to fight the epidemic.
Nov. 2003 -- At the ninth ASEAN summit in Bali, Indonesia, China accedes to the Treaty of Amity and Cooperation in Southeast Asia and sign a joint declaration on strategic partnership for peace and prosperity, which marks the beginning of a new stage in relations between the two sides.
Nov. 2004 -- The first Security Policy Conference of the ASEAN Regional Forum is held in Beijing. China pledges to participate more in regional security cooperation.
Nov. 2004 -- The first China-ASEAN Trade Fair is held in Nanning, China, which shows the enthusiasm and determination of China to forge and further improve ties with ASEAN members. Enditem
