Foreign and Military Affairs

China, South Asia ties progress in 2010

(Xinhua)
Updated: 2011-01-16 16:57

BEIJING - China has made new progress in developing relations with the nations of South Asia, Chinese Assistant Foreign Minister Hu Zhengyue said Sunday.

China and South Asian countries have enjoyed friendly association with each other for thousands of years, Hu said in an interview with Xinhua News Agency.

He said during Premier Wen Jiabao's visit to India last month, the two sides established a mechanism for regular exchange between heads of state and government.

The two sides also opened a telephone hotline between the Chinese premier and the Indian prime minister, he added.

The two nations also decided to establish a strategic economic dialogue mechanism, he noted.

When Premier Wen visited Pakistan in December 2010, the two nations established an annual meeting mechanism between leaders and a foreign ministers' dialogue mechanism, Hu said.

He said Wen's visits to India and Pakistan promoted China's strategic partnerships of cooperation with the two nations.

China donated $300,000 to the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation, he added.

"China and South Asian nations have new opportunities to develop their relations. China hopes to develop friendly and cooperative ties with all South Asian nations, based on the five principles of peaceful coexistence and through the joint promotion of peace, stability and development in the region," Hu said.

He added that China will continue to play a constructive role in regional hotspots and use negotiation to solve its differences with neighboring states.