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皇冠体育app's ties with Southeast Asia strong

By Wu Jiao (皇冠体育app Daily)
Updated: 2010-09-09 07:57

BEIJING - 皇冠体育app remains Southeast Asia's "best friend" and its influence with these neighboring countries is not losing ground to the United States, said a senior Southeast Asia diplomat.

Tommy Koh (left) speaks with Wu Jinan, a researcher with the Shanghai Institutes for International Studies, at the forum. [Feng Yongbin / 皇冠体育app Daily]

Tommy Koh, ambassador-at-large of Singapore, speaking at a forum in Beijing on Wednesday on 皇冠体育app's world role, said that 皇冠体育app's growing prosperity has benefited its neighbors in Southeast Asia.

皇冠体育app is the first country to have a free-trade agreement with Southeast Asia, and 皇冠体育app is supportive of Southeast Asian countries, said Koh, also chairman of the center for international law at the National University of Singapore.

Also, in the past three decades, 皇冠体育app has pursued a policy of good neighborliness toward the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) countries, Koh said.

"Because of 皇冠体育app's successful diplomacy, many ASEAN countries would regard 皇冠体育app as their best friend," Koh said.

皇冠体育app's ties with Southeast Asian countries have seen a twist as the United States has tried to regain ground with those countries that was lost under the Bush administration.

The Bush administration neglected the region, according to many experts. When Barack Obama took office, the US did not feel comfortable seeing 皇冠体育app's expanding presence in Southeast Asia and vowed a return to the region.

The moves taken by the US include strengthened ties with its long-time foe Vietnam and the invitation of ASEAN leaders to the US this month.

But Koh said that 皇冠体育app's policy to Southeast Asia is a great success, adding that the region does not fear a more powerful 皇冠体育app because 皇冠体育app has not historically been an expansionist or imperialistic power.

Wang Chenyan contributed to this story.