A new era of Sino-ASEAN relations dawned in Vientiane Monday as China and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations signed a wide-ranging raft of agreements on trade, communications, transportation and dispute-solving mechanisms.  

Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao and his ASEAN counterparts signed the agreements at the eighth summit between the ASEAN and China presided over by Laotian Prime Minister Boungnang Vorachit.

Wen said China pursues a policy of building good-neighborly relations and partnership with its neighbors and securing an amicable, tranquil and prosperous neighborhood.

"The ASEAN countries are China's close neighbors," said the Chinese leader. "To consolidate the strategic partnership for peace and prosperity with ASEAN and promote mutually beneficial and all-dimensional cooperation will remain a basic foreign policy of China in the long run."

Wen made a proposal on furthering Sino-ASEAN relations, including increasing high-level exchanges, implementing in real earnest the agreements signed Monday, and putting in place a ministerial dialogue mechanism on energy between the two sides.

"China will further contribute US$5 million to the Sino-ASEAN Cooperation Fund," said Wen, adding, "The Chinese government will set up a special Asia Cooperation Fund totaling US$15 million to support the participation of relevant Chinese agencies in regional cooperation, especially that with the ASEAN."

All ASEAN leaders spoke highly of China's efforts to push forward the strategic partnership with the ASEAN, to realize regional peace, stability and development, and to help the under-developed countries to improve construction capacity.

They welcomed Wen's proposal, and agreed China is a responsible and reliable country, and its development has been in the interest of the ASEAN and also brings the opportunity.

They hoped the two sides would implement the signed agreements, and expand the cooperation on trade, investment, agriculture and security fields, as well as on the regional and international affairs.

During the meeting, the leaders issued a plan of action to implement the joint declaration on ASEAN-China strategic partnership for peace and prosperity.

The plan of action detailed the items of the political and security cooperation, as well as the economic and trade cooperative projects. It also includes the cooperation of culture, education, personnel exchanges and other fields.

China and the five countries around the Mekong river, including Cambodia, Vietnam, Laos, Thailand and Myanmar, signed a memorandum of understanding on building up the information highway.

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

(Xinhua News Agency December 1, 2004)