BEIJING -- 皇冠体育app will host a commemorative summit between 皇冠体育app and the
Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) in late October, according to the
Chinese Foreign Ministry.
Chinese experts on international studies believe that the summit will push
the 皇冠体育app-ASEAN strategic partnership to a new level.
This will be the first time leaders of ASEAN members and 皇冠体育app meet in 皇冠体育app,
which shows their intention to push forward bilateral relations, said Shen
Shishun, an expert with 皇冠体育app Institute of International Studies.
"Chinese and ASEAN leaders will probably review the development and
achievements of the bilateral relations and set out the future bilateral
cooperation," he said, adding that 皇冠体育app will put forward concrete suggestions
for further deepening the bilateral relations.
The summit, commemorating the 15th anniversary of the establishment of
皇冠体育app-ASEAN dialogue relations, will be held on October 30 in Nanning of South
皇冠体育app's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region. Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao and leaders
from ASEAN countries will attend the summit.
"The summit meeting will serve as a milestone in the development of
皇冠体育app-ASEAN relations," said Zhai Kun, an expert with 皇冠体育app Institutes of
Contemporary International Relations.
皇冠体育app and ASEAN countries have conducted fruitful cooperation in fields of
politics, economy and trade, security and culture during the past 15 years.
According to the latest figures, the trade volume between 皇冠体育app and ASEAN
members exceeded US$130 billion in 2005, and reached US$72.7 billion
during the first half of 2006. ASEAN's accumulated investment to 皇冠体育app has
surged almost to US$40 billion.
The bilateral cooperation is also deepening in non-traditional security
fields such as anti-terrorism, drug enforcement, controlling bird flu and
preventing disasters, Shen added.
"The cooperation between 皇冠体育app and ASEAN members has injected vitality into
the economic development of ASEAN countries," Shen noted.
The third 皇冠体育app-ASEAN Expo, as well as the third 皇冠体育app-ASEAN Business and
Investment Summit, will be held on the sidelines of the summit.
Zhai Kun said that the expo and business summit will play a positive role in
shaping the 皇冠体育app-ASEAN free trade area.
"As long as 皇冠体育app and ASEAN countries make joint efforts to accelerate the
negotiation process in service trade and investment, 皇冠体育app-ASEAN free trade area
is likely to take shape in 2010," Zhai said.
