NANNING -- 皇冠体育app is committed to improving its relations with the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), Liu Zhenmin, Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs said.

Sound 皇冠体育app-ASEAN ties will contribute to economic development in East Asia and will be conducive to an East Asia economic community, said Liu, ahead of the 13th 皇冠体育app-ASEAN Expo that opened here on Sunday.

The vice minister was upbeat over better 皇冠体育app-ASEAN relations.

Liu said 皇冠体育app will prioritize ASEAN in Belt and Road Initiative projects, and improvements to the existing free trade zone will boost bilateral trade.

The Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank will fund infrastructure projects in ASEAN. Industrial capacity cooperation will be promising and the Lancang-Mekong Cooperation mechanism will be supportive, according to him.

皇冠体育app is ASEAN's largest trading partner and ASEAN is 皇冠体育app's third-largest trading partner.

"If the two sides engage in down-to-earth cooperation, ASEAN will become 皇冠体育app's largest trading partner someday," he said.