Chinese foreign minister Yang Jiechi spoke highly of the progress made in Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Plus Three (APT) cooperation in financial, economic, trade, food security, social, cultural and people-to-people fields Tuesday.

Yang made the remarks at the APT Foreign Ministers' Meeting held Tuesday in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, with special recognition on the $240 billion regional foreign exchange reserve pool and the APT Emergency Rice Reserve with an initial size of 870,000 tons.

Ministers of China, Japan and Republic of Korea (ROK) shared the views that APT cooperation, which started 15 years ago, is one of the most dynamic and productive cooperation mechanisms in East Asia and a bright spot in East Asia cooperation.

Yang called on all parties to draw up a blueprint for APT cooperation at the new starting point of the 15th anniversary.

He stressed the need to enhance practical cooperation in economic, trade, financial and other fields, strengthen internal drivers for East Asia's economic growth, effectively tackle economic and financial risks, and attract the private sector and local governments in APT cooperation against the backdrop of a grave global economic and financial situation.

Yang also made specific suggestions for advancing APT cooperation in the political and security field, connectivity, and social, cultural and people-to-people areas.

He expressed China's readiness to step up communication and coordination with ASEAN and Japan and the ROK to enable APT cooperation to play a greater role in promoting mutually beneficial cooperation in East Asia and bringing about closer relations among countries.

ASEAN countries thanked China, Japan and the ROK for their efforts and contribution to closer APT cooperation.

All sides agreed to further enhance and expand cooperation so that APT cooperation can better play its role as the main vehicle of East Asia cooperation and make greater contribution to regional stability, development and prosperity and East Asian integration. The parties also exchanged views on regional and international issues of shared interest.

All sides agreed to turn the APT leaders' meeting scheduled for the end of the year into a 15th anniversary commemorative summit and issue a statement at the summit.

In addition, China, Cambodia and other countries will carry out activities in commemoration of the 15th anniversary, including a seminar, cultural forum, the APT Joint Cultural Performance and the APT Youth Leaders' Symposium.

(Xinhua News Agency July 10, 2012)