China strives for shared development and pragmatic cooperation with ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations) countries to promote peace, stability and prosperity in East Asia, said Chinese Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi at the ASEAN Plus China Foreign Ministers' Meeting held Thursday in Bali, Indonesia.

Yang said this year marks the 20th anniversary of the establishment of the China-ASEAN dialogue relationship and in the past 20 years, the two sides have established strategic partnership and set up the largest free trade area among developing countries.

He said China and ASEAN have both become a new engine for the world's economic development and China will continue dealing with the bilateral relationship from the strategic and long-term perspective. China will always be a good neighbor, good friend and good partner of ASEAN, he added.

To strengthen cooperation with ASEAN, Yang proposed to uphold high-level exchanges, promote China-ASEAN strategic partnership, settle problems and differences through friendly consultation, maintain the healthy development of China-ASEAN cooperation and safeguard regional peace and stability.

He said China will implement the second China-ASEAN Five-Year Action Plan and try to bring the bilateral trade volumes to $500 billion.

China will also actively discuss maritime connectivity with ASEAN and promote bilateral exchanges in such sectors as tourism, education, culture and media as well as between youths through establishing China-ASEAN center, Yang said.

The Chinese side is willing to enhance cooperation with ASEAN within the international organizations such as the United Nations and G-20 to jointly meet the regional and global challenges of climate change, transnational crimes and food security, Yang said, adding that China will also support ASEAN's leading role in East Asia cooperation.

The recently-adopted agreement on the guidelines of implementing the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea (DOC) lays a solid foundation for pragmatic cooperation in the South China Sea and is conducive to safeguarding peace and stability of the South China Sea, said Yang, adding that China is willing to work with ASEAN countries to turn the South China Sea into a sea of peace, friendship and cooperation.

The ASEAN foreign ministers shared the view that ASEAN and China have achieved positive results in the bilateral cooperation in politics, economy and people-to-people interaction.

They appreciated China's support to ASEAN integration and the economic and social development of ASEAN countries, as well as China's role in settling major international and regional issues.

The foreign ministers of ASEAN countries said the agreement on the guidelines of implementing the DOC, which is of milestone significance, demonstrates that both China and ASEAN are able, and willing, to resolve the toughest problem.

It is conducive to promoting mutual trust and safeguarding regional peace, stability and prosperity, they added.

(Xinhua News Agency July 21, 2011)