Economic Cooperation

16. We are determined to establish the China-ASEAN Free Trade Area by 2010 as scheduled; including trade in goods liberalization by 2010 for ASEAN-6 and China and by 2015 for Cambodia, Lao PDR, Myanmar and Viet Nam; work expeditiously towards agreements to progressively liberalize trade in services with substantial sectoral coverage and to promote investments by creating a liberal, facilitative, transparent and competitive investment regime in China and ASEAN, as envisioned in China-ASEAN Framework Agreement on Comprehensive Economic Cooperation; establish the China-ASEAN Center for Trade, Investment and Tourism Promotion; promote the growth of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and their participation in the regional economy; cooperate in ensuring energy security, efficiency, and development of alternative and renewable energy sources; strengthen cooperation in finance; deepen cooperation in tourism and travel; work towards a fully liberalized air services regime between China and ASEAN; and support the realization of the ASEAN Economic Community.

17. We encourage further cooperation between China and ASEAN in support of sub-regional developments, including the development of economic cooperation zones in areas covering southwestern China; BIMP-EAGA; ACMECS; IMT-GT; GMS; and the ASEAN Mekong Basin Development areas, including the completion of the Singapore-Kunming Rail Link (SKRL) and other areas.

Socio-Cultural Cooperation

18. We agreed to strengthen our socio-cultural cooperation by encouraging greater cooperation between institutions of secondary and higher education; increasing youth exchanges by initiating the China-ASEAN Young Leaders Conference, China-ASEAN Young Entrepreneurs Association and China-ASEAN Young Civil Servants' Exchange Program as flagship projects; launching a prestigious China-ASEAN Scholarship; promoting scholarly exchanges; supporting the Center for ASEAN and China Studies; enhancing greater contacts between media personnel, academics and Track II institutions, parliamentarians and civil society; supporting the activities of the ASEAN Foundation in promoting greater people-to-people interaction; cooperating in public health to address the challenges of emerging infectious diseases; and supporting the realization, including projects and activities under the MOU Between China and ASEAN on Cultural Cooperation, of the ASEAN Socio-Cultural Community.

Regional and International Cooperation

19. We agree to continue to consult closely on sub-regional, regional and international issues and to cooperate in sub-regional, regional and international fora. We also reaffirm the establishment of the East Asia community as a long-term goal. China supports ASEAN's role as the driving force in regional processes, such as the ASEAN Regional Forum, ASEAN Plus Three and East Asia Summit. ASEAN believes that a stable, developing and prosperous China will contribute to peace, stability and sustainable growth for the development of the region and reaffirms its One-China Policy.

20. We tasked our Ministers and Senior Officials to realize the goals, initiatives and activities outlined in this Joint Statement.

Done in Nanning, China, on the Thirtieth Day of October in the Year Two Thousand and Six, in two original copies in the English language.

For the People's Republic of China: WEN JIABAO Premier

For Brunei Darussalam: HAJI HASSANAL BOLKIAH Sultan of Brunei Darussalam

For the Kingdom of Cambodia: SAMDECH HUN SEN Prime Minister

For the Republic of Indonesia: DR. SUSILO BAMBANG YUDHOYONO President

For the Lao People's Democratic Republic: BOUASONE BOUPHAVANH Prime Minister

For Malaysia: DATO' SERI ABDULLAH AHMAD BADAWI Prime Minister

For the Union of Myanmar: GENERAL SOE WIN Prime Minister

For the Republic of the Philippines: GLORIA MACAPAGAL-ARROYO President

For the Republic of Singapore: LEE HSIEN LOONG Prime Minister

For the Kingdom of Thailand: GENERAL SURAYUD CHULANONT (RET.) Prime Minister

For the Socialist Republic of Viet Nam: NGUYEN TAN DUNG Prime Minister

(Source: www.xinhuanet.com)