Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao left Sanya, coastal city in southern China's Hainan Province Monday morning for summit meetings with leaders of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and Japan, the Republic of Korea (ROK), in Indonesia.

Wen was invited by Indonesian President Megawati Soekarnoputri. On the Bali Island he will attend the 7th summit meeting of ASEAN, China, Japan and the ROK (10 + 3), the summit meeting of ASEAN and China (10 + 1), and the summit meeting of China, Japan and the ROK.

He is expected to sign a friendship treaty, the Treaty of Amity and Cooperation, with China's southeastern neighbors and try to accelerate talks on a free-trade zone. This will be the first time for China to seal a strategic partnership with a group of nations.

Director General for Asian affairs at the Foreign Ministry, Fu Ying, said China will take advantage of this meeting to further promote political understanding with its southeast Asian neighbors.

"This strategic partnership is of vital importance to the two sides, as well as to the entire region." The almost 20 year old treaty serves as a code of conduct between ASEAN nations, and the group hopes China's accession will help reduce regional conflicts.

Last year, China signed agreements with ASEAN on cooperation against drug trafficking, illegal immigration, piracy and terrorism. This time Premier Wen Jiabao's delegation will also sign memoranda on implementing those agreements.

Apart from invigorating political ties, the premier will boost business links with the ASEAN members by kicking negotiations into high gear on the free trade zone, which both sides hope to complete by 2010. By then, 1.7 billion consumers will be integrated into one huge market.

The Chinese premier will also attend an ASEAN business and investment summit meeting where he will deliver a speech.

Wen's entourage included State Councilor and Secretary-general of the State Council Hua Jianmin, Foreign Minister Li Zhaoxing, Minister of Finance Jin Renqing, Vice-Minister of Public Security Tian Qiyu, Vice-Minister of Commerce Yu Guangzhou, among others.

(People's Daily October 6, 2003)