On June 2, 2009, Chinese Assistant Foreign Minister Hu Zhengyue met with a joint press delegation from member countries of South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC).

Hu made positive comments on China's relations with South Asian countries. He said in recent years, bilateral traditional friendly relations have been making substantive progress with expanding trade cooperation and more dynamic exchanges in all areas. China is ready to deepen friendly cooperative relations that are long-term, stable and future-oriented with South Asian countries based on the principle of equality, mutual trust and win-win cooperation. China is ready to actively conduct mutually beneficial cooperation with South Asian countries in the areas of trade, investment, infrastructure construction, agriculture, tourism and humanities exchanges to bring tangible benefits to both peoples. He emphasized that China follows the foreign policy of "building an amicable, tranquil and prosperous neighborhood" and hopes to see a peaceful, stable and prosperous South Asia.

Hu expressed hope that the journalists can gain a deeper understanding of China through the visit and offer all-round, objective reporting on a rapidly developing China to South Asian people, so as to play a positive role in promoting communication, friendship, cooperation and common development between China and South Asian countries.

Hu also took questions from the journalists on such issues as trade cooperation between China and South Asian countries.

The delegation is composed of chiefs and senior journalists of mainstream media in member countries of South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) including India, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Nepal, Sri Lanka, and Bhutan. They are visiting China at the invitation of the Information Department of the Foreign Ministry. Besides Beijing, they will also go to Yunnan and Shanghai for reporting.