China offers to work with partners to build East Asian infrastructure

China is willing to work with all parties to build roads, railway lines, air and sea route networks in East Asia to improve regional connectivity and trade flows, Commerce Minister Gao Hucheng said on Thursday.

These goals can be achieved through the cooperative framework of the Belt and Road Initiative, the minister said in Vientiane, the capital of Laos while attending the Association of Southeast Asian Nations Trade and Economic Ministers' Meeting, which also involved China, Japan and South Korea.

China is keen to work with partner countries to draw support from financial institutions including the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank, the Silk Road Fund and the Asian Development Bank, to obtain funding for the projects.