Special report:
Premier Wen attends
int'l meetings, visits Singapore
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Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao (5th,L)
attends the 11th the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN)-China
Summit in Singapore on Nov. 20, 2007. (Xinhua Photo)
Photo Gallery>>> |
SINGAPORE, Nov. 20 (Xinhua) -- The 11th meeting
between leaders of China and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN)
was held in Singapore on Tuesday.
Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao and leaders of the 10
ASEAN member countries attended the summit, during which Wen delivered a speech.
Wen said over the past year, guided by the Joint
Statement issued at the Commemorative Summit Marking the 15th Anniversary of
ASEAN-China Dialogue Relations, China and ASEAN countries have made new
achievements in good neighborly relations and mutually beneficial cooperation.
China and ASEAN are currently moving into new times
and stages of development, respectively, he added.
It is the Chinese government's unshakable foreign
policy to cement and boost the China-ASEAN strategic partnership toward peace
and prosperity, Wen said.
He said the Chinese side would like to strengthen
cooperation with ASEAN in the following aspects in the new year:
Firstly, China will promote mutual political trust
and policy coordination with ASEAN.
Secondly, China will boost economic and trade ties
and raise the level of its cooperation with the bloc.
Thirdly, China would like to carry out practical
cooperation with ASEAN in nontraditional security fields.
Fourthly, China will actively support the
construction of the ASEAN community and its process of integration.
Fifthly, China will expand social, cultural and
personnel exchanges with ASEAN.
The Chinese premier said the development of China and
ASEAN is interdependent and serves as a catalyst for each other's growth.
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Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao (C) attends
the 11th the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN)-China Summit
in Singapore on Nov. 20, 2007. (Xinhua Photo)
Photo Gallery>>> |
China's economic and social development would provide
greater and more development space and chances for its neighboring countries,
including ASEAN members and other countries in the world, he said.
The Chinese side is willing to make joint efforts
with ASEAN to push forward bilateral ties.
Leaders of ASEAN member nations highly appreciated
the considerable development of the ASEAN-China dialogue relations and their
respective ties with China, which have grown in a sound manner.
They all said that China sticks to the road of
peaceful development, adheres to the policy of good-neighborly friendship, and
is a trusted friend and close partner of ASEAN.
China's development is a huge chance for ASEAN and
has provided a bright prospect for promoting bilateral cooperation, they added.
The leaders said ASEAN members hope to further
strengthen political and security dialogue with China, to broaden bilateral
cooperation in economy, information, infrastructure and nontraditional security
fields, and to increase personnel exchanges.
In this way, the two sides can work together to boost
peace, embrace challenges, seek development and enjoy prosperity, they added.
After the meeting, Wen and ASEAN leaders attended the
signing ceremony of the memorandum of understanding on strengthening China-ASEAN
health and plant health cooperation.
The Chinese premier arrived here on Sunday for an
official visit to Singapore. During his stay here, he was also scheduled to
attend the 11th ASEAN plus Three summit, the third East Asia summit and the
eighth meeting of leaders of China, Japan and South Korea.
As a regional cooperation group founded in August
1967, ASEAN comprises Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the
Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam.
Backgrounder: Chronology of
China-ASEAN summits
SINGAPORE, Nov. 20 (Xinhua) -- The 11th Summit between the
Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and China (10+1) was convened
here Tuesday. Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao and leaders of the 10 ASEAN member
countries attended the summit. The Chinese premier hailed the Strategic
Partnership for Peace and Prosperity between China and ASEAN, calling for
expanding the China-ASEAN cooperation for mutual benefit and win-win progress.
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