China and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) are expected to form a transnational think-tank soon to mull strategies for economic development in the Pan Beibu Gulf zone, a Chinese official said Tuesday.

"The Chinese government has had talks with all the ASEAN countries in the Pan Beibu Gulf Rim, inviting them to join this expert panel, which is expected to be set up at the end of this year," said Liu Qibao, Party chief of the Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, when meeting with Prime Minister of Laos Bouasone Bouphavamh.

At the first Forum on Economic Cooperation of Beibu Gulf Rim held in July 2006, Guangxi put forward the proposal on building Pan Beibu Gulf economic cooperation zone, an area surrounded by south China's Guangdong, Hainan provinces and Guangxi, as well as the six ASEAN members of Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, the Philippines, Vietnam and Brunei.

"We also proposed the cooperation concept of 'One Axis, Two Wings' last year, which is widely welcomed by related countries," Liu said.

"One Axis" refers to the Nanning-Singapore economic corridor. Of the "Two Wings", one refers to Pan Beibu Gulf economic cooperation and the other refers to Greater Mekong Subregional cooperation.

The Lao prime minister is here to attend the fourth China-ASEAN Expo scheduled for Sunday through Wednesday in Nanning, the region's capital.

Liu said Laos is a close partner within the "One Axis, Two Wings" cooperation pattern, because the economic corridor linking Nanning and Singapore will shore up the development of Laos.

Both Liu and Bouasone Bouphavamh agreed to expand cooperation in agricultural product processing, silk industry and education between Guangxi and Laos.

(Xinhua News Agency October 30, 2007)