Foreign Minister Li Zhaoxing said on Thursday that President Hu Jintao's state visits to three Southeast Asian nations helped deepen friendship, promote cooperation and strengthen unity,

From April 20-28, Hu visited Brunei, Indonesia and the Philippines, attending the 2005 Asian-African Summit and the Golden Jubilee of the Bandung Conference whilst in Indonesia. 

Li, who accompanied Hu on the tour, told reporters that the trip consolidated traditional friendships and strengthened relations.

Hu met Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah of Brunei, Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono and Philippine President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, signing many joint statements and agreements.

With all of them, Hu stressed that China would like to strengthen good-neighborliness with ASEAN countries to achieve common development and prosperity and promote coordination over regional and international issues.

Hu also said that China supports the integration of ASEAN and supports ASEAN's efforts to play a leading role in the cooperative process of East Asia.

As to the South China Sea issue, Hu said China is willing to shelve disputes and engage in joint development to transform the South China Sea into waters of friendship and cooperation.

At the Asian-African Summit, Hu also set forth China's stance on a New Asian-African Strategic Partnership, saying nations of the two continents can be partners in four aspects: to politically respect each other and support each other; to economically create a win-win situation by pooling each other's strengths; to culturally learn from each other; and to cooperate in security on the basis of equality and mutual trust.

He said developing countries should enhance coordination in international economic affairs and promote South-North dialogue and cooperation so as to deal with the challenges of globalization.

(Xinhua News Agency April 29, 2005)