Opinion

ASEAN, EAS to help deepen understanding of China's role

(Xinhua)
Updated: 2010-10-28 10:34

SINGAPORE -- China has never stopped looking for further cooperation with Asian countries on the common interest, and the upcoming Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) summit and East Asian Summit (EAS) will help deepen understanding between China and other countries in the region, said a research fellow here Wednesday.

Zhao Hong, a senior research fellow with the East Asian Institute (EAI), National University of Singapore, said, in an interview with Xinhua, that this year's ASEAN Summit and EAS are of highly significance and they will provide opportunities for China to show and spread its sincerity and good consideration to other countries in this region.

"I think the meetings are a very important platform for China. It will help deepen understanding between China and other Asian countries," he said.

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Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao will attend the EAS to discuss some regional affairs with other leaders. Zhao thinks that Premier Wen' s meetings with leaders of other countries are especially important in the present political and economic environment.

EAS intends to absorb Russia and the United States as its members and this idea leads to different reactions from Asian countries.

"Some countries are willing to see these two countries bring new power to keep balance in this region,"Zhao said.

"China shows the positive and open attitude towards this issue, because China pursues friendly cooperation and communication with other countries," He said.

Zhao said Russia and the US are important countries in the world and that's why they are welcomed to attend the conference as members.

He said another very important issue is about the South China Sea. Now more and more ASEAN countries pay attention to it, because it's very potential in terms of energy. So how to make the South China Sea area peaceful and keep its development? I think it 's an opportunity for China to discuss this issue with other ASEAN countries at this meeting.

The 17th ASEAN Summit and EAS will be held in Hanoi, Vietnam, on October 28-30. The summits will discuss issues like climate change, energy and regional cooperation.