The three East Asian countries - China, Japan and the Republic of Korea (ROK) - agreed to strengthen co-operation with the 10-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN ) to deal with challenges brought by globalization, Chinese Foreign Minister Tang Jiaxuan said in HANOI yesterday.
Compared with other regions in the world, the co-operation among the above
Asian countries is still fledgling and a more effective relationship is required to meet the demands of regional development, he added.
Tang made the remarks when addressing the foreign ministers' meeting of ASEAN, China, Japan and ROK (10+3).
The euro will officially go into circulation at the beginning of next year, while the America Free-trade Zone will also be officially established in 2005.
Tang called for increased co-operation among the 10+3 countries and voiced China's support for ASEAN to play an important role in such a partnership.
Since the 10+3 summit meeting held last year in Singapore, China has greatly contributed to the promotion of co-operation in East Asia. Chinese Premier Zhu Rongji promised to add US$5 million to the China-ASEAN Co-operation Fund to support the development of human resources.
Effective co-operation has been conducted in information technology, the development of the Mekong River Delta and transportation in the region, including the construction of roads and railways.
A spokesman of Foreign Ministry quoted Tang's words, "China attaches importance to 10+3 co-operation and is willing to enhance co-ordination and co-operation with ASEAN, JAPAN and ROK."
ASEAN foreign ministers concluded the 34th ASEAN Ministerial Meeting yesterday morning, which was followed by the 10+3 meeting in the afternoon.
Tang, who arrived in Hanoi on Monday night, will also take part in the Eighth Foreign Ministers' Meeting of the 23-member ASEAN Regional Forum, the Post-Ministerial Conference and the dialogue meeting between China and ASEAN (10+1) during the next two days.
Tang yesterday met Japanese Foreign Minister Makiko Tanaka, ROK Foreign Minister Han Seung-soo and a top official of the United Nations Transitional Administration in East Timor.
Tang urged Japan to "take practical action and essentially solve the existing problems" and reiterated China's stance on historical questions, especially the issue of Yasukuni Shrine.
(China daily 07/25/2001 )
