Benevolence and good-neighborliness are long-standing traditions passed down through thousands of years of Chinese history. In 2006, China continued to pursue a policy of friendship and partnership with neighbors, aimed at peace, security, and prosperity. In its diplomatic contacts with surrounding countries, China strives to establish cooperation based on mutual trust, resolution of disputes, and steadily-developed long-term stable relations of friendship and cooperation. As regards regional cooperation, China has worked vigorously to promote common development of Asian countries by sticking to the principles of consensus through consultations, equality, mutual benefit and gradual progress, and taking into account the interests and concerns of various parties.

Mutual political trust between China and Central Asia has deepened. In June 2006, the sixth summit of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) was held in Shanghai; China's President Hu Jintao attended the second summit of the Conference on Interaction and Confidence-Building Measures in Asia (CICA) in Kazakhstan. In September the same year, Premier Wen Jiabao attended the fifth SCO prime ministers' meeting in Tajikistan and paid a formal visit to Tajikistan.

In October, a commemorative summit was held in Nanning, Guangxi, to celebrate the 15th anniversary of China-ASEAN dialogue relations. This was for the first China-ASEAN summit to take place in China. The China-ASEAN strategic partnership was enhanced to a higher level. In November, President Hu Jintao attended the 14th APEC informal summit in Hanoi, Vietnam and paid state visits to Vietnam, Laos, India and Pakistan.

China also makes active efforts in moving forward the Six Party Talks on the DPRK nuclear issue. Through the active mediation of China, the Six Party Talks resumed in December in Beijing after a 13-month hiatus.