Wen puts forward 5 proposals for China-ASEAN cooperation

Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao on Monday in Kuala Lumpur put forward five initiatives to ensure more vigorous and fruitful growth of relations between China and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN).

The five initiatives include: to forge stronger bond of friendship, to put in place a planned framework for relations, to endeavor to build China-ASEAN Free Trade Area, to identify new priority areas of cooperation, and to vigorously promote personnel exchanges.

Wen made the proposals in his speech -- "Deepen Comprehensive Cooperation and Enhance China-ASEAN Strategic Partnership" -- at the 9th China-ASEAN summit.

"In the next 15 years, China will build itself into a country of moderate prosperity, ASEAN will accelerate the formation of the ASEAN Community, and China-ASEAN relations are expected to register major progress," the Chinese premier told the summit.

To ensure more vigorous and fruitful growth of China-ASEAN relations next year, Wen proposed that extensive activities be carried out to mark the 15th anniversary of China-ASEAN dialogue relations and the Year of Friendship and Cooperation Between China and ASEAN.

Broad public participation in these activities should be encouraged, "so as to ensure strong public support for the long-term growth of China-ASEAN relations," he said.

The second initiative involves the implementation of "a planned framework for China-ASEAN relations" based on the comprehensive report presented by the China-ASEAN Eminent Persons Group which, in Wen's words, offers good suggestions for enhancing China-ASEAN relations.

"We should study and adopt these suggestions in conjunction with the China-ASEAN Plan of Action," he said.

As for the third initiative, Wen said: "We should accelerate the tariff reduction process, ensure the full and efficient implementation of the Agreement on Trade in Goods, and press ahead with the negotiations on agreements on trade in services and on investment so as to complete the building of the China-ASEAN Free Trade Area on schedule," he said.

New priority areas of cooperation should be identified and proposed and transportation, energy, culture, tourism and public health should be made the five new key areas of China-ASEAN cooperation, Wen said, referring to the fourth initiative.

He also called on both sides to explore the feasibility of building a China-ASEAN Information Highway on the basis of Greater Mekong Subregion Information Highway program.

In the fifth initiative, Wen suggested mutual exemption of visas for diplomatic and service passport holders within next year and having further discussions on simplifying procedures for personnel exchanges.

ASEAN, founded in 1967, groups Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Brunei, Vietnam, Laos, Myanmar and Cambodia.

The regional bloc is dedicated to accelerating economic growth, social progress and cultural development through cooperative programs.

Wen arrived here Sunday after visiting France, Slovakia, the Czech Republic and Portugal.

Source: Xinhua