The China-ASEAN Association is ready to exert its advantage as a non-governmental friendly organization to further strengthen exchanges with the ASEAN, said president of the association Gu Xiulian in Beijing on Tuesday.

She made the remarks on the reception marking the founding of the second council of the China-ASEAN Association.

Since its establishment in 2004, the association has held a series of activities to promote cooperation between China and ASEAN, said Gu. She expressed the wish that the association would continue to contribute to the improvement of friendship and cooperation between the two sides.

Foreign envoys from ASEAN countries of Singapore, Laos, Myanmar, the Philippines, Thailand, Brunei, Cambodia and Vietnam attended the reception.

The China-ASEAN Association, founded on August 3, 2004, aims to promote people-to-people and non-governmental cooperation between China and ASEAN. It helps enhance mutual understanding and friendship between the peoples of China and ASEAN countries by holding various activities, including personnel exchanges, seminars and cultural events.

(Xinhua News Agency April 30, 2008)