DAP: The breaking news in Cambodia: “China, New Zealand vow to strengthen cooperation” plus 9 more

PHNOM PENH, Nov. 19 (Xinhua) -- Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao met with his New Zealand counterpart John Key here on Monday and both sides pledged to boost cooperation between the two countries and push forward bilateral ties.

Since the establishment of diplomatic ties between China and New Zealand 40 years ago, the two countries have witnessed smooth development in their relations, said Wen, who arrived in Phnom Penh on Sunday afternoon to attend a series of meetings of East Asian leaders and pay an official visit to Cambodia.

The two sides have agreed to develop a mutually beneficial, win-win comprehensive relationship of cooperation and signed a free trade agreement (FTA), which injected a strong momentum into their relations, he added.

China, attaching importance to New Zealand's influence in the Asia-Pacific, is willing to enhance coordination with the country, so as to further mutual political and strategic trust and to push their relations and regional cooperation for more achievements, Wen said.

He said a continued, rapid growth of the Chinese economy will bring more opportunities for China-New Zealand trade and economic cooperation.

China is ready to expand its imports from New Zealand and welcomes the country's continuous expansion in the Chinese market, said the Chinese premier.

Wen called on the two governments to create a better environment for expansion of mutual investment, support their enterprises' cooperation in accordance with market rules and on the basis of equality and mutual benefit, and expand cooperation in such fields as food, environmental protection, new energy and green economy.

Key, who is also here to attend the meetings of East Asian leaders, said New Zealand-China relations have developed in an all-around way for the past four decades, adding that the signing of the FTA has effectively pushed forward the two countries' trade and economic cooperation.

New Zealand is ready to further consolidate high-level reciprocal visits, broaden cooperation, and ensure the equitable treatment for Chinese enterprises' investment in the country, he added.

Key also voiced his willingness to build closer communications and coordination between the two sides in international and regional affairs, in a bid to strive for greater progress in their relations.

PHNOM PENH, Nov. 19 (Xinhua) -- China and members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) have enough wisdom and capability to properly handle territorial and maritime disputes, visiting Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao said here on Monday.

Speaking at the 15th China-ASEAN summit, Wen said seeking consensus through consultation and accommodating each other's concerns are the core principles of the ASEAN way, which demonstrates the unique concept of the Oriental Civilization, and have proven effective.

The smooth implementation of cooperation among East Asian countries could be largely attributed to the adherence to the ASEAN way, which calls for shelving disputes and promoting consensus and unity, Wen said.

East Asian countries should follow such spirit when dealing with various issues including territorial or maritime disputes, Wen said.

The Chinese premier also said mutual respect and mutual trust are the precondition for further cooperation between China and the ASEAN.

China is willing to increase dialogue and enhance cooperation with ASEAN members in security and strategy, and make further contribution to East Asia's lasting peace and prosperity, Wen said.

The primary task for the China-ASEAN cooperation at this moment is to cope with the global financial crisis, Wen noted.

Against the backdrop of the crisis, the integration of regional economies will definitely have a profound impact on the world landscape, he said.

The premier also reviewed the progress in the China-ASEAN cooperation since a summit last year marking the 20th anniversary of the establishment of dialogue between the two sides.

NANNING, Nov. 19 (Xinhua) -- A cross-border expo in the border city of Dongxing, south China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, opened Monday to boost bilateral trade and tourism between China and Vietnam.

Themed with "joint exploitation and opening up for win-win," the 2012 China and Vietnam Border Trade & Tourism Expo features investment promotion, border tourism promotion and an exhibition on real estate projects.

A forum will be held on the sidelines for experts from the two countries to discuss boosting cross-border economic cooperation, organizers said.

The expo has attracted 65 delegations from not only China and Vietnam, but also Cambodia, the Republic of Korea and Thailand.

The expo, the seventh of its kind since 2006, will run until Saturday.

Located on the China-Vietnam border, Dongxing is adjacent to the Vietnamese city of Mong Cai.

In July, the Chinese government announced a plan to build Dongxing into an experimental forefront for economic cooperation between China and ASEAN countries.

Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao (2nd L) attends a summit between the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and China, Japan and South Korea (10+3) in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, Nov. 19, 2012. The summit coincided with the 15th anniversary of ASEAN Plus Three (APT) cooperation. (Xinhua/Wang Ye)

PHNOM PENH, Nov. 19 (Xinhua) -- Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao on Monday urged members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and China, Japan and South Korea (10+3) to further promote cooperation in the region.

At a 10+3 summit, Wen asked countries in the region to focus on development problems and work for an early creation of East Asian community.

Wen arrived in Phnom Penh on Sunday afternoon to attend a series of meetings of East Asian leaders and pay an official visit to Cambodia.

The 13 nations have successfully handled the 1997 Asian financial crisis and properly dealt with the current international financial crisis, forged a rather complete cooperation platform, and made important achievements in maintaining financial and food security in the region, Wen said.

The Chinese premier called on the countries to strengthen capacity for crisis management, speed up the revision of the Chiang Mai Initiative Multilateralization, a regional currency swap arrangement, promote the 10+3 macroeconomic research office to a regional institution, and groom Asia's bond market.

Wen urged the parties to work hard to boost regional integration, saying China supports talks for comprehensive economic partnerships in the region, the expansion of mutual investment and industrial convergence.

The Chinese premier also urged efforts to promote transnational infrastructure. He called on the leaders to strengthen policy coordination, expand financing channels, and build convenient and efficient infrastructure networks.

Wen urged the development of regional institutions in law enforcement, disaster management, the fight against transnational crimes and disease prevention. He also asked for more cultural exchanges and contacts between youths and between media organizations.

He said all ASEAN nations, as well as China, Japan and South Korea should continue to step up strategic communication, deepen mutually beneficial cooperation, and stay committed to maintaining lasting peace and common prosperity in East Asia.

Other leaders attending the summit agreed that the international financial crisis, which has triggered global economic downturn, has brought huge uncertainty and instability to the region.

They believed that the 10+3 countries should work together even closer so as to promote regional trade liberalization and economic integration, maintain financial, energy and food security, strengthen infrastructure construction, and expand cultural exchanges.

The members should also join hands in maintaining robust economic growth in the region and prompt balanced and sustainable development, the leaders said.

Related:

ASEAN+3 leaders pledge closer partnership on 15th anniversary

PHNOM PENH, Nov. 19 (Xinhua)-- Leaders from the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and Japan, South Korea and China on Monday expressed their will to forge closer ties during a summit at the Peace Palace in the Cambodian capital of Phnom Penh.

The summit coincided with the 15th anniversary of ASEAN Plus Three (APT) cooperation, a regional mechanism that functions as a coordinator of cooperation between ASEAN and the three East Asian nations of China, Japan and South Korea. Full story

ASEAN+3 leaders meet in Cambodia to chart future cooperation

PHNOM PENH, Nov. 19 (Xinhua) -- The ASEAN+3 (China, Japan and South Korea) Summit was held here on Monday to discuss measures and actions to further enhance cooperation in the future.

The Summit was made between the leaders of the ten-country ASEAN led by Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen and the leaders of the +3 countries including Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao, South Korean President Lee Myung-bak, and Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda.

PHNOM PENH, Nov. 19 (Xinhua) -- Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak said here Monday that the issue of the South China Sea should be resolved through consultation by the parties concerned and should not hinder the cooperation between China and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN).

Speaking at 15th ASEAN-China Summit convened back-to-back with the 21th ASEAN Summit and other related summits in Cambodian here, Najib said that complicating the South China Sea issue through heavy media coverage should not have occurred as it didn't conform with the reality of the ASEAN-China relations.

The issue should be settled through friendly consultations and negotiations by the parties directly concerned in the spirit of mutual respect and should not be internationalized, the Malaysian Prime Minister stressed.

China has made remarkable contributions to safeguarding peace and stability as well as promoting development in the Asian region, Najib said.

He expressed the confidence that China and the ASEAN could resolve the South China Sea issue through peaceful means.

Echoing the Malaysian PM's view, Kao Kim Hourn, secretary of state at Cambodia's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, told a press conference Sunday that ASEAN leaders had agreed at their just- concluded summit that they would not internationalize the South China Sea issue and would focus on resolving it within the existing China-ASEAN mechanism.

"The ASEAN will engage the parties concerned directly to resolve the issue through the mechanism they have," Hourn said.

On the sidelines of Sunday's ASEAN summit, Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao and Najib pledged to boost cooperation between the two Asian nations.

Noting China has become Malaysia's largest trading partner, Wen said that the two countries have achieved outstanding progress in cooperation in finance, major projects and cultural exchanges.

Najib said that Malaysia is ready to join hands with China to work out regulations for future bilateral economic and trade cooperation and successfully build industrial parks.

PHNOM PENH, Nov. 19 (Xinhua) -- Leaders of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) have agreed to postpone the deadline to realize economic, political and social integration to the end of 2015 from the originally-envisioned Jan. 1, 2015.

The extended timeframe, coming amid increasing pressure on Asia as the global economy wobbles, reflects sober assessment by the ASEAN leaders and underlines the urgent need for the body to forge closer partnership with neighboring countries so as to achieve the ambitious goal on time.

In its 45 years of development, ASEAN has been aspiring to become an integrated community for a greater say on the world stage, with a practical role model of the European Union.

Despite the remarkable progress achieved in the past decade in boosting its international profile and internal unity, ASEAN is still seen as facing an uphill battle in its integration endeavor, based on factors such as the vast development gaps, the actual implementation of signed documents and the existence of conflicting political interests between members.

Undaunted by these challenges, ASEAN decision-makers have engaged their counterparts from around the bloc in cooperation talks. The biannual ASEAN summit and related platforms including "10+3" are now capturing attention beyond Asia.

Leaders of both ASEAN countries and six key Asia Pacific powers, including China, Australia, India, Japan, South Korea and New Zealand, will kick-start negotiations of a broad free trade zone during the on-going ASEAN summit and related meetings.

The so-called Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP), if realized, would cover half of the world's population and further cement a shift in global economic power from the West towards Asia.

It is really an opportune moment for ASEAN to ride the tidal wave of Asia's resurgence and bolster its significance by forging closer ties from within and with bigger players on the continent as well.

By further liberalizing the market, ASEAN will enjoy better efficiency in overall development, particularly in the elimination of economic disparities that have bothered the grouping for a long time.

By pooling more resources to tackle common challenges, the bloc will be better positioned to fend off both internal and external risks, as shown by the example of Chiang Mai Initiative, under which ASEAN plus China, Japan and South Korea have built themselves a war chest of 240 billion U.S. dollars.

And most important of all, some ASEAN countries have to set aside  controversial issues such as territory disputes and have faith in dialogue and peaceful negotiation to build mutual trust. Otherwise, the hard-won regional stability would be jeopardized and ASEAN integration a never-fulfilled dream.

PHNOM PENH, Nov. 19 (Xinhua) -- Trade between ASEAN and China is set to continue its expansion with the bloc's largest trade partner encouraged to step up investment in the region.

Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN) Secretary General Dr. Surin Pitsuwan told media here Monday on the side- lines of the 21st ASEAN summit that the Free Trade Agreement (FTA) with China was "working wonderfully."

He pointed out that trade had grown by 25 percent because of the FTA and is expected to increase in 2013.

"We are hoping for more investment from China. Even though trade has grown tremendously, the trade deficit and trade gap between ASEAN and China is larger than in some other regions," he said.

Dr. Pitsuwan noted that at present there is a large gap between Chinese trade and Chinese investment in ASEAN.   "We hope the new Chinese leadership will continue encouraging trade with ASEAN even as China opens up its market," he added.

Trade between China and ASEAN has sky-rocketed from 7.9 billion U.S. dollars in 1991 to 292.7 billion U.S. dollars in 2010.

The FTA between ASEAN and China became effective in 2010.

For the first half of 2011, bilateral trade recorded was 171.1 billion U.S. dollars, an increase of 25 percent on a year-on-year basis.

Even though China is ASEAN's largest trading partner, ASEAN is the third largest trading partner of China.

Malaysia and Indonesia had encouraged more investment from China during bilateral meetings held on Sunday with Chinese Prime Minister Wen Jiabao, according to Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesman Qiu Gang.

BEIJING, Nov. 19 (Xinhuanet) -- Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao has held talks with the Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on the sidelines of the 21st ASEAN Summit in Cambodia. Premier Wen says China and India should grasp the strategic opportunities for development by fostering a favorable environment for investment.

India's Prime Minister Singh congratulated the CPC on the successful completion of the 18th CPC National Congress, and expressed his desire that China and India take their relations to a new level. This was the 14th meeting between the two leaders in the last eight years.

Singh stressed on the importance of these meetings in building a strong foundation of trust and friendship between the two nations. The Chinese Premier last visited India in 2010 at the 60th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations.

PHNOM PENH, Nov. 18 (Xinhua) -- Thailand solidified agreements to establish a multi-billion dollar special economic zone with Myanmar here on Monday as the once sideliner state looks to jump- start regional investment.

A statement released on the sidelines of the 21st Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN) Summit stated that Thailand and Myanmar had agreed to move ahead with the Development of Dawei Special Economic Zone.

Thai Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra and Myanmar President Thein Sein also signed a joint statement on the project during a bilateral meeting on the sidelines of the ASEAN summit.

The project is designed to comprise of a world-class deep sea port, industrial estate complex and fully-supported infrastructure as well as a complete transport link to Thailand.

"The Dawei deep seaport together with the industrial estate and related facilities are to be implemented as another logistic and trading hub of the region in response to increasing trade within the East Asian region," the statement noted.

The planned deep sea port and industrial zone will serve as a new commercial gateway for Thailand, China and other ASEAN nations while providing an alternate sea route to India, Middle East, Europe and Africa that will reduce transportation time linking the Gulf of Thailand with the Andaman Sea and beyond.

It was earlier reported that Italian-Thai Development, Thailand 's largest contractor by market value, has been granted a concession to develop the project.

Cost of the project is estimated at 50 billion U.S. dollars with 8.5 billion U.S. dollars being needed for just the first phase of construction, resulting in the project running into funding snags.

In addition, Myanmar is also expected to hold talks with Japan and India on potential investment.

Meanwhile, the Economic Research Institute for ASEAN and East Asia is mapping out a multi-year economic plan for Myanmar that is expected to jump-start investment.

Over the weekend, the U.S. also rolled back decades of sanctions ahead of a historic visit by President Barack Obama.

PHNOM PENH, Nov. 19 (Xinhua) -- Newly re-elected U.S. President Barack Obama arrived here, the capital of Cambodia, on Monday afternoon to attend the 4th ASEAN-U.S. Leaders' Meeting and the 7th East Asia Summit.

Arrived in his Air Force One jet plane at the Phnom Penh International Airport at 5:40 p.m. (local time), Obama was escorted by a top-security convoy to the Peace Palace, where he will meet with Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen bilaterally ahead of a series of meetings with the leaders of ASEAN and East Asia Summit.

Obama arrived here after visiting Thailand and Myanmar in a three Asian nation trip on Nov. 17-20 to prove the U.S. renewed interest in the Southeast Asian region.

Cambodian Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Hor Namhong told reporters last Thursday the 4th ASEAN-U.S. Leaders' Summit, co-chaired by Hun Sen and Obama, will focus on strengthening and expanding the two blocs' cooperation.

The topics will include the initiative for ASEAN-U.S. Strategic Partnership, the suggestion for regularly annual ASEAN-U.S. Leaders' Summit and ASEAN-U.S. Business Summit, and the request for the establishment of ASEAN-U.S. Center in Washington D.C. to promote tourism, trade, and investment, he said.

Moreover, the U.S. will announce to recognize the core role of ASEAN in regional forums and re-consider supporting the ASEAN Connectivity Action Plan.

Besides the Summits, Obama will hold separate talks with Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda and Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao at the margins of the 7th East Asia Summit on Tuesday.

Cambodian Minister of Information Khieu Kanharith told Xinhua that it is the first time that the sitting U.S. President visits Cambodia.

"Obama's presence would bring closer ties between all countries in the region and the United States, and each side could learn from each other," he said.

Some analysts said the U.S. active involvement with the ASEAN in recent years will provide future chances for the country to intervene into ASEAN internal affairs.

"It is up to ASEAN. If ASEAN holds a firm stance, other countries will be unable to intervene into the bloc's internal affairs," said Kanharith.

Phay Siphan, spokesman for Cambodia's Council of Ministers, said the visit would strengthen ties between the U.S. and ASEAN in general and between the United States and Cambodia in particular.

"The visit will also build further confidence among American investors in Cambodia's business environment," he told Xinhua.

Chheang Vannarith, executive director of the Cambodian Institute for Cooperation and Peace, said the visit would contribute to confidence building, mutual understanding and partnership between the United States and ASEAN.

Cambodia has been hosting the 21st ASEAN Summit and related Summits on Nov. 18-20 at the capital's Peace Palace.

All ASEAN leaders and ASEAN's dialogue country leaders from the United States, China, South Korea, Japan, India, Australia, New Zealand, and Russia are gathering for the Summits.

More than 10,000 Cambodian security personnel have been deployed to safeguard the Summits, said Kirt Chantharith, spokesman for the National Police. The number does not include foreign forces escorting their respective leaders to the meetings.

Founded in 1967, the Association of Southeast Asian Nations ( ASEAN) groups Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam.