Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao on Friday offered a six-point proposal to further enhance the strategic partnership between China and Southeast Asian nations.

The first is to push forward the sustainable, sound and rapid development of economic relations and trade between the two sides, Wen told a summit held here with leaders from the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN).

The January 1, 2010 establishment of the China-ASEAN Free Trade Area (CAFTA) has significantly accelerated flows of capital, materials, technologies, human resources and other production factors between the two sides, he noted.

Chinese statistics showed that trade volumes between the two sides reached $211.31 billion in the first nine months this year, marking a 43.7-percent rise year on year, Wen said, adding that the yearly total volume is likely to create a new high.

In the coming years, he told the 13th China-ASEAN Summit, China will further expand imports from and facilitate trade with ASEAN members, in the hope of bringing bilateral trade to a yearly volume of $500 billion by 2015.

Wen's second proposal is that the two sides should promote the interconnectivity of road, rail and water transport networks, of telecommunications and of energy pipelines and power grids. Financial integration followed next, where Wen pointed out that the establishment of the CAFTA has generated higher requirements for financial and banking cooperation.

Noting that agriculture remains of fundamental importance in the economies of both sides, Wen suggested that China and ASEAN further deepen agro-economic cooperation.

In line with China's commitment to sustainable development, Wen proposed that China and ASEAN map out an action plan as soon as possible to move forward bilateral exchanges and cooperation in circular economy, green economy, energy conservation and environmental protection.

Meanwhile, Wen called for continued efforts to broaden cooperation in culture, education and tourism and expand youth exchanges, with the purpose of consolidating mutual trust and friendship between the peoples of both sides.

Since China and ASEAN inaugurated a strategic partnership for peace and prosperity in 2003, Wen stressed, history has proved that their bilateral relations are able to weather various challenges and grow ever stronger.

"China wants to be ASEAN's good neighbor, good friend and good partner forever," he said.

(Xinhua News Agency October 29, 2010)