ASEAN, Chinese officials prepare cooperation documents

Senior officials from China and the Association of Southeast Asia Nations (ASEAN) reviewed on November 26 several cooperation documents that will be adopted by the two sides in a series of high-level meetings in the next four days.

"The meeting ran through the various agreements that would be adopted by the ASEAN-China ministerial meeting and summit," Spokesman of the 10th ASEAN summit and Director of the Press Department of the Lao Foreign Ministry Yong Changthalangsy told a press conference.

The documents are expected to boost political and economic relations between China and ASEAN members.

They include an action plan to implement the 2003 Joint Declaration on ASEAN-China Strategic Partnership aimed at improving cooperation in foreign affairs, economy and customs of the two sides.

Other agreements will focus on promoting trade between ASEAN and China, and the two sides are scheduled to sign a memorandum of understanding on transport and cooperation on Saturday afternoon.

Meanwhile, negotiations on trade in services and investment between China and ASEAN are underway, said Yong.

He added that the two sides will in January 2004 start implementing an early harvest program that is aimed at cutting down tariffs on goods of certain categories.

The 10th ASEAN summit will be held on Tuesday and Wednesday in Laos' capital of Vientiane, which is also the venue of a series ofmeetings among ASEAN members and between ASEAN and China, Japan, South Korea, India, Australia, New Zealand and Russia.

The intensive meetings held from Nov. 25 to 30 are expected to improve economic and political integration of the regional grouping and boost relations between ASEAN and their partners.

ASEAN groups Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam.

Source: Xinhua