China will promote comprehensive cooperation with ASEAN in economy, politics, security, science and technology, culture and other fields, said a Chinese senior official in Phnom Penh on Monday.

In a speech at the 25th General Assembly of ASEAN Inter-Parliamentary Organization (AIPO), Wang Yingfan, vice-chairman of the Foreign Affairs Committee of the National People's Congress (NPC) of China, reaffirmed that "China will always be a good neighbor, a good friend and a good partner of ASEAN."

"The NPC of China stands ready to make joint efforts with AIPO and its member parliaments to push ahead the friendly cooperation, and make contributions to peace, stability and prosperity in our region," Wang added.

In recent years, the relationship between China and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) has become more mature, said Wang.

Good-neighborly ties and mutual trust have been enhanced, and the economic cooperation and trade between China and ASEAN countries have developed drastically, he added.

Wang said the trade volume between China and ASEAN reached USD72.85 billion in 2003. China is the fourth largest trading partner of ASEAN, while ASEAN ranks the fifth among China's major trading partners.

And in the first half of this year, bilateral trade volume has hit USD47.8 billion, up 39.7 percent compared with the same period of last year.

Wang also highly praised the constructive role played by the ASEAN in the region and in international affairs, as well as AIPO as an important arena to strengthen exchanges and promote cooperation among ASEAN countries.

China's NPC established links with AIPO in 1991. More than 300 delegates from inside and outside ASEAN attended the four-day meeting which opened Monday.

(Xinhua News Agency September 14, 2004)