Mr. Chairman,

Dear Colleagues,

It gives me special joy and warmth to meet our ASEAN colleagues again here in this country, when we still have a fresh memory of our Manila Summit a year ago. In over a month, mankind is about to enter the 21st century. At this historical moment of the turn of the century, it is of special significance for us to meet in Singapore and discuss the important issue of how to enhance China-ASEAN cooperation in the new century.

It is gratifying to see fresh progress in the development of deepened partnership of good-neighborliness and mutual trust between us in a wide range of areas under the guidance of the China-ASEAN Joint Statement over the past year. President Jiang Zemin has just paid successful visits to Laos, Cambodia and Brunei, during which China signed joint statement on bilateral cooperation with Laos and Cambodia respectively. To date, China has signed or issued 21st century-oriented framework documents with all ASEAN members, laying groundwork for further development of the friendly relations and cooperation between China and ASEAN.

There is a strong momentum for the development of economic relations and trade between China and ASEAN countries with ever- expanding cooperation between them. From January to October this year, the two-way trade between the Chinese mainland and ASEAN stood at US$31.96 billion, higher than last year's total and up by 47.9% over the same period last year. All mechanisms under the China-ASEAN dialogue framework are functioning smoothly. The two sides have gradually deepened cooperation in the fields of agriculture, science and technology, information, tourism, fight against transnational crimes and drug control. We have enhanced coordination and cooperation in regional and international affairs, and worked together to push forward the East Asian cooperation process spearheaded by ASEAN+3 cooperation, thus promoting peace and development in the region and the world as a whole.

ASEAN is an important force for regional peace, development and cooperation. In recent years, ASEAN countries have vigorously explored roads and modalities of development suited to their own national conditions. Thanks to their efforts to overcome the difficulties brought about by the Asian financial crisis, their economies have recovered rapidly. In face of the challenges presented by economic globalization and scientific and technological revolution, ASEAN has worked out a series of programs such as Vision 2020, Hanoi Plan of Action and e-ASEAN Framework Agreement, stepped up the development of ASEAN Free Trade Area, and increased its competitiveness in the hi- tech sector. The economic ties among ASEAN countries have grown stronger and their trade and cooperation have expanded further. ASEAN has once again shown the world its vitality and potential. We are delighted to see the progress made by ASEAN and wish to express our congratulations on what has been achieved during this ASEAN summit.

China attaches importance to ASEAN's role and is committed to developing its partnership of good-neighborliness and mutual trust with ASEAN. China wishes to see a united, stable and prosperous ASEAN and its important role in regional affairs. We are ready to continue our efforts, under the guidance of the spirit enshrined in the China-ASEAN Joint Statement, to materialize the framework documents on bilateral cooperation between China and ASEAN countries and work for further progress in our cooperation in the new century.

Here I with to share with you my ideas on the priorities of our cooperation in the near future:

First, to continuously strengthen political cooperation between the two sides. China is ready to maintain the momentum for exchange of high-level visits with ASEAN countries and conduct more multilateral and bilateral political and security dialogues and consultations. China appreciates the purposes and spirit of the Treaty of Amity and Cooperation in Southeast Asia. We will continue to firmly support ASEAN in its efforts to establish a Zone of Peace, Freedom and Neutrality and the Southeast Asia Nuclear Weapon Free Zone. We are ready to maintain close cooperation with ASEAN in regional and international affairs and support ASEAN's leading role in the dialogue and cooperation mechanism in East Asia. We are positive about the progress made up to now in our consultations on the "Code of Conduct in the South China Sea". The Chinese side sincerely wishes to see an early conclusion of the consultations, which will help maintain peace and stability of the South China Sea region. We should also continue to coordinate our positions in regional and international affairs and work together to safeguard the rights and interests of developing countries.

Second, to intensify efforts for human resources development (HRD). This is an important strategic task for developing countries. In recent years, the China-ASEAN Cooperation Fund to which China contributed has financed over 10 projects including personnel training and exchange programs and achieved good results. China has decided to replenish the Fund with an additional US$5 million for increased exchanges and cooperation between the two sides in the economic, trade, scientific, technological, information and other fields. Priority will be given to HRD cooperation, including more training of financial personnel from ASEAN. Besides, we will sponsor training courses on applicable techniques within the ASEAN+3 framework so as to facilitate HRD cooperation between all the parties involved. China will continue its cooperation with ASEAN in the field of remote sensing and genetic modification.

Third, to strengthen infrastructure building in the Mekong River Basin. The development of the Mekong River Basin will help promote the economic growth along the river, and narrow the development gap among East Asian countries. This also dovetails with the strategy of developing China's west, which is well under way now. The Chinese side agrees that currently the Mekong River Basin development should focus on, among others, transportation, environmental protection and tourism. China will continue to take an active part and make more investment in the project.

-- Last April, China, Laos, Myanmar and Thailand signed the Agreement on Commercial Navigation on Lancang-Mekong River. China has harnessed all the navigation courses in its territory in preparation for the navigation by the four countries. The Chinese side will also fund the dredging of the navigational courses in Lao and Myanmar territories to ensure an early realization of navigation along the Lancang-Mekong River.

-- The highway between China's Kunming and Thailand's Bangkok is an important link between China and ASEAN. The completion of Kunming-Bangkok Highway will help promote the contacts, trade and economic cooperation between China and ASEAN countries. When conditions are ripe, China will undertake to build the part of the Highway in the Lao territory in cooperation with Laos, Thailand and the Asian Development Bank so as to ensure an early completion of Kunming- Bangkok Highway.

-- The Trans-Asia Railway initiated by Malaysia will help enhance the transportation links in East Asia. The proposed railway, once completed, may be linked to the Eurasian Land Bridge in the Chinese territory, thus forming an international thoroughfare that links all countries on the route and is open to all of them. China supports the proposal of building such a railway and wishes to participate in its construction through bidding.

Fourth, to go in for hi-tech cooperation. Today, scientific and technological revolution represented by information technology is developing rapidly. A pressing task we are facing is to develop hi-tech and narrow or eliminate the "digital divide" with developed countries. Not long ago, ASEAN concluded the e-ASEAN Framework Agreement, in which it proposes to step up infrastructure building for telecommunications and enhance cooperation in the development of human resources and a legal framework for e-commerce. China supports the proposals and expresses its readiness to participate in the development of e-ASEAN in terms of human resources and hardware. In this connection, the Chinese side suggests that a China-ASEAN seminar on IT cooperation be held in China in 2001 to discuss ways to increase IT cooperation between the two sides.

Fifth, to deepen agricultural cooperation. China is a big agricultural country and ASEAN countries attach importance to agricultural development. As such, there is obviously mutual complementarity and a great potential for cooperation in agricultural between the two sides. In recent years, China has conducted agricultural cooperation in various forms with most ASEAN countries, which has yielded gratifying results. We hope to see our respective agricultural sectors develop and an agricultural cooperation network for China and 10 ASEAN countries gradually take shape through enhanced agricultural cooperation.

Sixth, to strengthen trade and investment links. The ever-closer economic cooperation and trade between China and ASEAN make it necessary for both sides to further facilitate unfettered exchange of goods, technologies, capital and information. It might be advisable in the long run for China and ASEAN countries to explore the establishment of a free trade relationship between them. China is now implementing the "going abroad" strategy, which encourages enterprises with a competitive edge to make investment and set up businesses abroad and helps them in terms of credit and insurance. ASEAN countries may become one of the priority areas for Chinese enterprises to implement the "going abroad" strategy. In this context, the two sides may establish an expert group for China- ASEAN economic integration under the framework of the China-ASEAN Joint Committee of Economic and Trade Cooperation to discuss how to strengthen economic relations, facilitate trade and investment and other issue of mutual interest.

With China's membership in the WTO in sight and the ASEAN Free Trade Area by and large established in 2002, there is a good opportunity for us to enhance our cooperation. China and Southeast Asian countries vary in economic structure and export mix. Southeast Asian countries are not China's main competitors in the markets of the US and other developed countries. For instance, China's export to the US is led by light industrial products, while ASEAN's export to the country is led by integrated circuits. The bulk of the overseas capital that the mainland of China has attracted is from Hong Kong and Taiwan, rather than developed countries. Therefore, China's accession to the WTO means a bigger market and more business opportunities to ASEAN countries. It would bring them more opportunities than challenges, and more advantages than disadvantages. In recent years, as the process of China's accession to the WTO picks up speed, the two-way trade between China and ASEAN countries has also gathered a momentum of considerable increase. I am convinced that China's entry into the WTO will bring about a win-win situation to all of us.

Dear Colleagues,

In the new century, China will enter a new stage of developing a well-to-do society in an all-round manner and accelerating the modernization drive. To achieve this grand objective that we have set for us, we need a surrounding environment conducive to stability and development. China will firmly adhere to the independent foreign policy of peace and work tirelessly for peace and development of the region and the world as a whole.

Being developing countries, China and ASEAN countries are all faced with the historical task of stepping up economic development. I am confident that, so long as we take a long-term view, trust each other, expand our cooperation and make better use of our mutual complementarity, we will surely achieve a common development at a higher level, and create, in the new century, an even brighter future for the partnership of good-neighborliness and mutual trust between China and ASEAN.

Thank you.