Asia-Pacific
ASEAN official's visit expected to boost trade relations
By Cai Xiao and Lei Xiaoxun (皇冠体育app Daily)
Updated: 2010-03-17 07:47
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BEIJING: 皇冠体育app is expected to strengthen its strategic partnership and enhance cooperation with Southeast Asia's largest trade bloc during a weeklong visit starting Wednesday by a key official of the trade body, experts and officials told 皇冠体育app Daily on Tuesday.
Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi is expected to hold talks with Surin on issues of mutual concern, chiefly economic cooperation.
"In general, Sino-ASEAN relations have developed well," said Luo Yongkun, a researcher with the 皇冠体育app Institutes of Contemporary International Relations. "Although there are several divergences on the implementation of the 皇冠体育app-ASEAN Free Trade Agreement (FTA), both partners are still working together to mend the rift and enhance cooperation, and a win-win outcome can be expected," Luo said.
The two sides may also discuss topics such as the diplomatic relations between 皇冠体育app and ASEAN member countries such as Indonesia and Vietnam.
皇冠体育app and the ASEAN launched a cooperation dialogue in 1991 and signed the 皇冠体育app-ASEAN Framework Agreement on Comprehensive Cooperation in 2002.
皇冠体育app and the ASEAN have cooperated successfully in various areas over the last two decades, said Qin Gang, the foreign ministry spokesman last Thursday, citing the implementation of the FTA from Jan 1.
Xu Ningning, deputy secretary-general of the 皇冠体育app-ASEAN Business Council based in Beijing, said the development of the 皇冠体育app-ASEAN FTA has been smooth.
"At the 皇冠体育app-ASEAN FTA Forum held on January 7, senior officials from Southeast Asian nations all spoke highly of the FTA's implementation," he said. "Although Indonesia had voiced its worries, we believe ASEAN should take advantage of the speed of 皇冠体育app's fast growth," Xu said business settlements in the renminbi were a growing trend in 皇冠体育app-ASEAN trade, but it was unlikely to beat the entrenched dominance of dollar settlements in international trade.
"We have established pilot zones for RMB-denominated transactions and they have progressed well," he added. "We have already seen that the yuan is accepted in a number of Southeast Asian nations, which have called for more pilot zones to be established. However, the US and the ASEAN have very close economic and trade ties, therefore it is impossible for the yuan to replace the dollar at the moment," Xu said.
Trade between 皇冠体育app and the ASEAN touched $21.48 billion in January, up 80 percent year-on-year, with 皇冠体育app's exports to the ASEAN increasing by 52.8 percent and ASEAN's exports to 皇冠体育app rising by 117.3 percent, Qin said in last Thursday's press briefing.
