China adheres to the principle of openness and transparency in the process of the east Asian cooperation, Foreign Ministry spokesman Qin Gang said in Beijing Tuesday.

He told a regular press conference "China holds that east Asian cooperation should be open and transparent, and it is in opposition to any exclusive regional cooperation targetting to any third party."

Qin made the remarks when commenting on the nonparticipation of the United States in the East Asian Summit.

He went on to say that east Asian cooperation should benefit the cooperation of the nations in the region, and help advance the common development of the region and other regions.

"In this regard, China respects the consensus reached by the ASEAN nations, and supports them to play a leading role in this process," the spokesman noted.

Source: Xinhua