China Perspective

Vice-president's visit to promote regional ties

By Ma Liyao and Cheng Guangjin (China Daily)
Updated: 2010-06-17 08:04

Beijing - Vice-president Xi Jinping on Wednesday agreed to offer more aid to Laos for infrastructure construction and resource development, seeking to boost China's fast-growing ties with neighboring nations.

Xi is on a four-nation tour, which has already taken him to Bangladesh and Laos. He will continue to New Zealand and Australia.

Analysts say Xi's trip will tighten China's relations with surrounding countries and press home the message that China's development is not a threat but an opportunity for the region to develop.

Su Hao, a researcher on East Asian affairs with the China Foreign Affairs University, said China's diplomacy with surrounding countries is important.

"China is trying to find a way to help those countries improve their abilities to deal with domestic problems," Su said.

Su said China has no intention for hegemony in the region, and is trying to promote the development of the whole area.

"China hopes to promote Southeastern Asia's development under the initiative of ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations)," Su said.

"This is very different from the United States, which is unwilling to see a regionalized east Asia move out of its control," said Su. "That's why the United States strengthened cooperation with East Asia, to reclaim its influence in this region."

Another professor at the same university, Qin Yaqing, echoed Su's remarks, saying China's growing influence is sometimes accompanied by misgivings and the visits by Chinese leaders are intended to reassure nearby countries, reported Reuters.

Xi will attend the Australia China Economic and Trade Co-operation Forum on Monday.

Local reports in New Zealand and Australia said they want to use Xi's visit as a chance to open the trade door wider.

China's ambassador to New Zealand, Zhang Limin, told reporters earlier that the implementation of the China-New Zealand Free Trade Agreement, signed in 2008, has given great impetus to bilateral trade, especially to New Zealand's exports to China.

China is now New Zealand's second largest trading partner, the second largest source of imports and the third largest export market.

The China-New Zealand FTA also strengthened the two countries ability to survive the global financial crisis, said Lu Jianren, an expert on Asian economic issues from the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences.

"The two countries' FTA pushes forward bilateral trade volume, which is also a momentum for the world economy recovery," Lu said.

As for the expected FTA with Australia, Lu said it would be mutually beneficial but many issues still need to be overcome, such as whether Australia would recognize China's market economy status, and the impacts on both countries' economies after markets open up.

"Xi's visit will deepen political ties between the countries, which will promote economic cooperation," Lu said, "but any concrete progress on FTA negotiations is still up in the air. "

China Daily

(China Daily 06/17/2010 page23)