Premier Wen Jiabao delivers a speech at the opening ceremony of the third China-ASEAN Exposition in Nanning, capital of southwest China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, Oct. 31, 2006.(Xinhua Photo) Photo Gallery >>>

    NANNING, Oct. 31 (Xinhua) -- Following is the full text of Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao's speech delivered here Tuesday at the opening ceremony of the Third China-ASEAN Business and Investment Summit:

    Work together to Usher in a New Era of China-ASEAN Economic Cooperation and Trade

    Wen Jiabao

    Premier of the State Council of the People's Republic of China

    At the Opening Ceremony of The Third China-ASEAN Business and Investment Summit

    Nanning, Guangxi, 31 October 2006

    Dear Colleagues,

    Ladies and Gentlemen,

    In this beautiful autumn season of October with clear skies and blooming flowers, we are meeting in Nanning today to open the Third China-ASEAN Business and Investment Summit. On behalf of the Chinese Government, I wish to express warm congratulations on the opening of the Summit and extend sincere welcome to ASEAN leaders and other distinguished guests.

    At the 2003 ASEAN Plus One Meeting, I proposed the holding of China-ASEAN Expo' and Business and Investment Summit, which was adopted by Chinese and ASEAN leaders. Thanks to our efforts, the China-ASEAN Expo' and Business and Investment Summit have become an important platform for deepening mutual understanding and expanding China-ASEAN business ties. The theme of the Summit is: "one need, one future". It fully reflects the growth momentum of our business ties and our shared desire to enhance cooperation between the business communities in all fields. I am confident that this Summit will go a long way towards broadening and upgrading China-ASEAN cooperation.

    Ladies and Gentlemen,

    China and ASEAN countries are close neighbors. We have similar cultures, we have gone through similar stages of development and there is a long history of friendly contacts between our peoples. In the early 1990s, China and ASEAN initiated the process of dialogue and cooperation, opening a new chapter in China-ASEAN relations. Over the past 15 years, guided by the principle of "mutual respect, equality and mutual trust, mutual benefit and win-win cooperation", we have expanded cooperation in all fields. The all-round growth of China-ASEAN business ties has brought substantive economic benefits to both sides and become an important basis and strong driving force for boosting the overall China-ASEAN relations.

    Our trade has grown rapidly. In 1991, China-ASEAN trade was only about eight billion US dollars. In 2005, it reached 130.4 billion US dollars, registering an increase of 15 times. China and ASEAN are now the 4th biggest trading partner of each other. ASEAN is China's 4th biggest export market and 3rd biggest source of import.

    Two-way investment has expanded. By the end of June 2006, ASEAN had made a total net investment of 40 billion US dollars in China. In the other direction, there is also a strong growth of Chinese investment in ASEAN, which has become increasingly attractive to Chinese companies. ASEAN is now a major market for Chinese project contractors and labor services.

    Regional and sub-regional cooperation between us has been enhanced. China and ASEAN have concluded agreements on trade in goods and dispute settlement mechanism and launched negotiation on trade in services and investment. The early harvest program was implemented in 2004, and China slashed tariffs on 7,000 goods from ASEAN in 2005. Today, tropical fruits like durian, mangosteen and ramboostan from Southeast Asia are popular with Chinese consumers. China's temperate zones fruits like apples, pears and oranges are now easily affordable to ASEAN consumers. Substantive steps have been taken in sub-regional economic cooperation in the Beibu Gulf rim, Greater Mekong River and East ASEAN Growth Area.

    People-to-people exchanges have increased. All ten ASEAN countries are now approved destinations for Chinese tourists. In 2005, three million Chinese tourists visited ASEAN countries as the first stop of their overseas tours, accounting for one-third of the total number of outbound tourists in the year. China is also a popular destination for ASEAN tourists. In 2005, three million of them visited China, accounting for one-fifth of total foreign tourists visiting China in the year. Under the China-ASEAN framework, China trains 1,500 professionals for ASEAN countries every year.