Push forward ASEAN ties

PREMIER WEN JIABAO'S PLEDGE THAT CHINA will continue to expand imports from the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and properly address problems in the development of the China-ASEAN Free Trade Area (CAFTA) will be a shot in the arm for bilateral ties.

Wen made the promises during a keynote speech at the opening ceremony of the eighth China-ASEAN Business and Investment Summit in Nanning, South China's Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region on Friday. The summit was held concurrently with the eighth China-ASEAN Expo. The two gatherings drew leaders from ASEAN nations and 2,300 companies.

The expo was initiated by Wen in 2003 as a major platform to promote common prosperity and prepare for the establishment of CAFTA, which was officially inaugurated in Jan 1, 2010.