China VP vows south Asia cooperation

Chinese Vice President Li Yuanchao vowed that China will cooperate more with south Asian countries, as he addressed the opening ceremony of the China-South Asia Expo and Kunming Import and Export Fair in Kunming of southwest China's Yunnan Province.

Li said China will build a "community of common destiny" with south Asia.

"China commits to forging friendship and trust with its neighbors," he said, noting that China respects south Asian countries' rights to choose a development path according to their own national conditions.

He called for mutual understanding and support between countries in the region on issues concerning each of their core interests, as well as closer coordination on international and regional affairs.

Li urged the two sides to accelerate construction of the Bangladesh-China-India-Myanmar and China-Pakistan economic corridors as well as cooperation in the Greater Mekong Subregion.

China will encourage its enterprises to participate in infrastructure construction of south Asia, including roads, railways and telecom networks, said the vice president.

He called on the two sides to make their markets more accessible and beef up cooperation in trade, investment, resources exploitation, environmental protection, tourism, international transportation and financial settlement.

He also suggested the two sides increase people-to-people exchanges and enhance joint work in the areas of youth, culture, education, art, religion and media.

Maldivian President Abdulla Yameen, Laotian Prime Minister Thongsing Thammavong, Bangladeshi Speaker Shirin Sharmin Chowdhury and Vietnamese Deputy Prime Minister Hoang Trung Hai also spoke at the ceremony.

Wan Gang, vice chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, attended the event.

The third China-South Asia Expo and the 23rd Kunming Import and Export Fair run from June 12 to 16. Endi