Clearing the sea of troubles

ASEAN must stop its members from fanning trouble to ensure ties between China and Southeast Asian countries prosper

Foreign Minister Wang Yi is paying official visits to Thailand, Indonesia, Singapore and Brunei from April 30 to May 5. That Wang is visiting Southeast Asia on his first overseas tour as foreign minister shows the importance China attaches to developing closer ties with its Southeast Asian neighbors. Also, Wang's visit to the four countries is expected to inject new vitality into China's diplomacy in the region.

Thailand has friendly ties with China, Indonesia holds an important position in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, Singapore is hailed as the brain behind ASEAN and Brunei currently holds the association's rotating presidency.