Li, who is here attending a series of ASEAN meetings, expressed his views on ASEAN economic integration, China-ASEAN relations and regional security situation.

"I came to Phnom Penh this time to attend five meetings and find them to have achieved some important results," he said.

First, participants to the ASEAN Regional Forum and ASEAN+10 meeting have exchanged views on international and regional issues of common concern, and have enhanced mutual understanding among themselves. The sessions discussed the nuclear issue of the DPRK, and the DPRK and the United States made clear their respective position on the issue, the foreign minister said.

My feeling is that both the DPRK and the United States hope for a peaceful solution of the issue, so do all the other participants who hope the process of the Beijing Talks could go on. The Participants have also talked in a deep-going way the future development direction of the Forum, and reached common understanding on cooperation in anti-terrorism and in the non-traditional security area, he said.

During the ASEAN+3, ASEAN+1 sessions, and informal meeting of the foreign ministers of China, Japan and South Korea, we agreed unanimously that it is necessary to deepen the East Asian cooperation process and strengthen cooperation among the nations of the region. We also discussed about many specific projects for this purpose, he noted.

During his stay here, the Chinese foreign minister has also bilateral meetings with his counterparts from the United States, Russia, Japan, Australia, South Korea, Myanmar, India, Singapore, New Zealand and Papua New Guinea.

"All ASEAN countries are China's friendly neighbors and important cooperation partners. To develop relations between China and ASEAN nations is of vital strategic significance to both sides as well as to the region," he said.

Li commended the relations between China and ASEAN, saying in recent years, China-ASEAN relations have been further deepened and mutual beneficial cooperation continually strengthened.

We have signed the Framework Agreement on Comprehensive Economic Cooperation to set up the free trade area; issued the Joint Declaration on Cooperation in the Filed of Non-traditional Security Issues to open new room for cooperation, and the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea to reach common views on settling disputes and doing cooperation in the Sea, he said.

China and ASEAN have a lot of shared interests, crowned with a very broad prospect for cooperation, he noted.

In politics, we should continually enhance mutual confidence and partnership by frequent high-level visits and contacts, and the dialogue mechanisms of different levels.

In economy, we should work hard to build up the free trade area, and go on cooperation in the five key areas: agriculture, information technology, human resources development, two-way investment and developing the Mekong Basin for our common benefit.

In security, we should, in light of the complicated changes in the regional situation, strengthen coordination and dialogue, and actively carry out cooperation in the non-traditional security area to safeguard peace and security of the region or even the world together, he said.

(Xinhua News Agency June 20, 2003)