Positively assessing bilateral relations between China and ASEAN, Premier Zhu said that under the guidance of the China-ASEAN Joint Statement, bilateral partnership of good-neighborliness and mutual trust has developed in wide areas and in an in-depth manner.

Not long ago, President Jiang Zemin paid a successful visit to Laos, Cambodia, and Brunei, all ASEAN countries. China signed joint statements on bilateral cooperation with Laos and Cambodia respectively. To date, China has signed or issued 21st century-oriented framework documents with all ASEAN members, laying ground work for further development of the friendly relations and cooperation between China and ASEAN, he said.

The premier said that there is a strong momentum for the development of economic relations and trade between China and ASEAN countries with ever-expanding cooperation between them. All mechanisms under the China-ASEAN dialogue framework are functioning smoothly. The two sides coordinate and cooperate with each other in international and regional affairs, making positive contributions to peace and development in the region and the world.

He said that in recent years, ASEAN countries have actively explored roads to development and growth modes that suit their respective national conditions, tried to shake off the difficulties brought about by the Asian Financial Crisis, and achieved economic recovery. "We are glad to see the progress made by ASEAN and congratulate on the results of the current ASEAN summit," he said.

Premier Zhu emphasized that China attaches importance to the role played by ASEAN and is dedicated to developing a partnership of good-neighborliness and mutual trust with ASEAN.

"We would like to see a unified, stable and prosperous ASEAN and support the important role played by ASEAN in regional affairs. We would like to continue our efforts, under the guidance of the spirit enshrined in the China-ASEAN Joint Statement, to materialize the framework documents on bilateral cooperation between China and ASEAN countries and work for further progress in their cooperation in the new century, " the premier said.

Premier Zhu put forward the following proposals on the priorities of bilateral cooperation in the near future. Firstly, to continue strengthening cooperation between China and ASEAN in the political area. China is ready to maintain the momentum of high-level exchange of visits with ASEAN countries and further conduct multilateral and bilateral dialogue and negotiation on political security. China appreciates the purpose and spirit of the Treaty of Amity and Cooperation in Southeast Asia and will continue to support ASEAN's efforts to establish a zone of peace, freedom and neutrality and Nuclear-Free Zone in Southeast Asia. "We give positive assessment of the progress made in the negotiation between China and ASEAN on the Code of Conduct in the South China Sea. The Chinese side sincerely hopes that the negotiation can be concluded at an early date so as to further maintain peace and stability in the South China Sea. We will continue to strengthen coordination between the two sides in international and regional affairs and make joint efforts to maintain the rights and interests of developing countries," said the Chinese premier.

Secondly, to intensify efforts for human resources development. This is an important strategic task for developing countries. In recent years, China-ASEAN Cooperation Fund, whose launching was financed by the Chinese side, contributed to more than 10 programs such as the exchange of personnel training, with remarkable results achieved.

The Chinese side has decided to contribute further US$5 million to that Fund to be used in promoting bilateral exchanges and cooperation in economic, trade, scientific and technological, and information areas, with expanding bilateral cooperation in human resources development as the priority, including continuing to provide financial training to ASEAN.

Thirdly, to strengthen infrastructure building in the Mekong River Basin. The development of the Mekong River Basin is conducive to promoting the economic development along the River and reducing the gap of development between East Asia countries. The Chinese side is ready to continue to participate actively in the development of the Mekong River Basin and increase input.

In April this year, China, Laos, Myanmar, and Thailand signed the Agreement on Commercial Passage on the Lancang-Mekong River. China has fully treated the lane within its border to be prepared for the direct link between the four countries. The Chinese side will also finance the treatment of the lane within the borders of Laos and Myanmar so as to strive for the passage link on the Lancang-Mekong River in due time.

The road between Kunming, China and Bangkok, Thailand, is an important link between China and ASEAN. The completion of Kunming-Bangkok Road is conducive to promoting ties between China and relevant countries and the development of economic relations and trade. "When conditions permit, we would like to work with Laos, Thailand and Asia Development Bank to construct the road section with the border of Laos and make contribution to the early completion of Kunming-Bangkok road," Zhu Rongji said.

The Trans-Asia Railroad concept initiated by Malaysia is conducive to the transportation in East Asia. When the Railroad is completed, it can be connected to the Asia-Europe Continental Bridge within China's border so as to form an inter-connected international link that is open to all. China supports the initiative of developing the Trans-Asia Railroad and would like to participate in it through bidding.

Fourthly, to actively develop high-tech cooperation. A pressing task for China and ASEAN is to develop hi-tech and narrow or eliminate the "digital divide" with developed countries. China supports the e-ASEAN Framework Agreement and is ready to participate in the development of e-ASEAN in terms of human resources and hardware. To that end, the Chinese side suggests that a China-ASEAN seminar on IT cooperation be held in China in 2001 to discuss ways to increase IT cooperation between the two sides.

Fifthly, to deepen cooperation in the agricultural area. China is a big agricultural country and ASEAN countries attach importance to agricultural development. There is obviously mutual complementarity and a great potential for cooperation in agriculture between the two sides.

In recent years, China has conducted agricultural cooperation in various forms with most ASEAN countries, which has yielded gratifying results. "We hope to see our respective agricultural sectors develop and an agricultural cooperation network for China and ten ASEAN countries gradually take shape through enhanced agricultural cooperation," Premier Zhu said.

Sixthly, to enhance trade and investment links. The ever-closer economic cooperation and trade between China and ASEAN make it necessary for both sides to further facilitate unfettered exchange of goods, technologies, capital and information. China and ASEAN can explore in the long run the establishment of a free trade relationship between them.

China is now implementing the "going abroad" strategy, which encourages enterprises with a competitive edge to make investment and set up businesses abroad and helps them in terms of credit and insurance. ASEAN countries may become one of the priority areas for Chinese enterprises to implement the "going abroad" strategy.

In this context, the two sides may establish an expert group for China-ASEAN economic integration under the framework of the China-ASEAN Joint Committee of Economic and Trade Cooperation, which will discuss how to strengthen economic relations, facilitate trade and investment and other issues of mutual interest.

China is going to accede to the WTO and the ASEAN Free Trade Area will be initially formed in 2002, which present us a good opportunity for developing cooperation. China's upcoming accession to the WTO means market expansion and the increase of business, with more opportunities than challenges and more benefits than disadvantages. In recent years, with the acceleration of China's accession to the WTO, the bilateral trade between China and ASEAN countries has displayed a momentum of dramatic increase.

"I believe that China's accession to the WTO will bring a win- win situation to us all. China and ASEAN countries are all developing countries, facing the historical task of accelerating economic development," Premier Zhu said. "I believe that if we proceed from the long-term development, trust each other, constantly expand cooperation, and strengthen complementarity, we can achieve common development at a higher level and have a better future in China-ASEAN partnership of good-neighborliness and mutual trust," he said.

Leaders of ASEAN countries gave a warm response to Premier Zhu' s speech. They agreed with Premier Zhu on his positive assessment of China-ASEAN relations, were satisfied with the progress made in bilateral relations in the past year, felt encouraged by, welcomed and were sincerely gratified by the cooperation initiatives put forward by Premier Zhu.

ASEAN also appreciated China's positive position on the Treaty of Amity and Cooperation in Southeast Asia and Treaty on Southeast Asia Nuclear Weapon Free Zone. ASEAN leaders also emphasized in their speeches that China's accession to the WTO will bring new opportunities to the economic relations and trade between China and ASEAN.

ASEAN attaches importance to developing a partnership of good- neighborliness and mutual trust with China and put forward some concrete suggestions on enhancing mutually beneficial cooperation between the two sides. The leaders agreed that the Summit was successful, down-to-earth, and productive.

(Xinhua 11/26/2000)