Jakarta, 20 April -- Mrs. Zhang Qiyue, the Chinese Ambassador in Indonesia met with Dr. Surin Pistuwan, the Secretary-General of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) at the ASEAN Secretariat Monday and briefed the latter on China's proposals on strengthening the China-ASEAN cooperation.

    The eight-point proposals, said Mrs. Zhang, were announced on April 12, after Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao returned from Pattaya, Thailand. The proposals include the signing of the China-ASEAN Investment Agreement; efforts to vigorously promote China-ASEAN infrastructure and inter-connectivity building; advancing ASEAN integration and regional cooperation; sub-regional cooperation such as the Greater Mekong Sub-region (GMS) development, East ASEAN Growth Area (BIMP-EAGA) and Indonesia-Malaysia-Thailand Growth Triangle (IMT-GT); greater financial cooperation among East Asian countries; regional cooperation in food security; more exchanges on capacity-building in social and cultural sectors and to promote sustainable development; and cooperation in non-traditional security fields.

    Dr. Surin Pistuwan welcomes and appreciates the Chinese proposals, saying it would be an enormous support to the ASEAN community building process against the background of the global financial crisis.

    "The ASEAN countries are willing to join hands with China to promote the ASEAN-China cooperation to a new height," said the ASEAN Secretary-General.