China assures ASEAN states of close future ties

China welcomes countries from the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, or ASEAN, seizing new opportunities brought by the country's development to jointly achieve modernization of Asia and beyond, Foreign Minister Wang Yi said on Thursday, in a meeting in Beijing with ambassadors from 10 ASEAN members.

Wang briefed them on China's economic situation, saying China will further deepen reform and advance Chinese modernization by fostering new quality productive forces, accelerating independent innovation, and improving economic efficiency to drive high-quality, sustainable, and resilient development.

China also stays committed to building a higher-level open economy, and its doors to the world will open wider, he said.

As the world enters a new period of turbulence and transformation, Wang highlighted that the region has maintained a momentum of peace and development, which he said is particularly valuable.

Calling China and ASEAN states good neighbors, good friends and good partners, he said China-ASEAN relations have provided precious stability to the region and the world, and this should be cherished.

China will continue to firmly support the ASEAN's centrality and is willing to work with it to uphold the sound and sustainable development of China-ASEAN relations and keep contributing to regional peace and development, he added.

Wang said China firmly advocates and practices true multilateralism and is willing to join hands with ASEAN nations and other like-minded countries to promote an equal and orderly multi-polar world, inclusive economic globalization that benefits all, and a fairer and more reasonable global governance system.

The ASEAN nations' chief envoys to Beijing said comprehensive strategic partnerships between ASEAN and China maintains strong momentum of development and injects powerful energies into their respective and shared development.

As this year marks significant anniversaries of establishing diplomatic ties between multiple ASEAN countries and China, they said that ASEAN looks forward to using this opportunity to explore the potential for cooperation in various areas, including trade and investment, mutual connectivity and the digital economy, to further elevate ASEAN-China relations as well as bilateral ties to new heights.