JAKARTA, Jan 21 (NNN-XINHUA) – The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), stands ready to work with China, to lift the ASEAN-China strategic partnership to a new high, ASEAN Secretary-General, Lim Jock Hoi, said here.
He made the remarks while receiving credentials presented by China’s new Ambassador to ASEAN, Deng Xijun, at the ASEAN Secretariat. He said, ASEAN attaches great importance to its ties with China, as well as, the important role China has played in the East Asian cooperation.
The ASEAN secretary-general expressed gladness over the fast development of the ASEAN-China relationship, and the new progress in bilateral cooperation in various fields, saying that, support will be continuously provided to assist the work of the Chinese mission to ASEAN and to promote further growth of the ASEAN-China relations.
Deng Xijun, for his part, said that the China-ASEAN relationship, with a strong momentum of growth, has entered a new stage of all-dimensional development, and next year will mark the 30th anniversary of the China-ASEAN dialogue relations.
As one of the important strategic partners of ASEAN, China will continue to support ASEAN in community building, support ASEAN’s centrality in regional cooperation and its bigger role in building an open and inclusive regional cooperation framework.
