The ASEAN-China Eminent Persons Group (EPG) on Friday in Kuala Lumpur submitted its report to the ASEAN- China Ministerial Meeting for consideration at the ninth ASEAN- China Summit to be held here on Sunday.

The report recommends that in the next 15 years and beyond, ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asia Nations) and China should strengthen and deepen their strategic partnership on all fronts with focus on economic, political, security, social and cultural cooperation.

It emphasizes the building of the ASEAN-China free trade area, saying ASEAN and China should exert efforts to facilitate the free flow of goods, services capital and labor to enhance the linkages between their economies.

The report underscores the need to enhance security cooperation to ensure and further promote harmonious relations among neighboring countries.

It also proposes that ASEAN and China should continue to work closely in contributing to various regional processes and initiatives and in the promotion of their common interest in the regional and international fora.

In order to achieve the vision, the report provides short and medium-and long-term measures. Some of the key measures include the promotion of confidence building through regular dialogue, exchange and interaction, strengthening cooperation in addressing transnational issues, supporting international efforts in the area of disarmament and non-proliferation of weapons of mass destruction.

The early conclusion of the agreements on services and investment under the ASEAN-China Free Trade Area, the establishment in Beijing of an ASEAN-China Center to promote trade, investment, tourism, education and cultural cooperation, and the convening of a high-level international meeting on infectious diseases were also included in the measures.

The ASEAN-China EPG was established at the eighth ASEAN-China Summit in Vientiane, Laos, in November 2004. It consists of the distinguished persons from Malaysia, China, Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam.

Source: Xinhua