On November 4, 2002, Vice Foreign Minister Wang Yi, who was accompanying Premier Zhu Rongji on his visit, gave an interview with Chinese journalists.

Wang said that Premier Zhu's trip is China's major diplomatic move in the neighboring region following President Jiang Zemin's successful visit to the United States. While visiting Cambodia and attending regional multilateral meetings, Premier Zhu, on behalf of the Chinese side, put forward 27 cooperation proposals and concepts of different kinds, and signed a number of important documents and agreements. It can be said that Premier Zhu's visit to Cambodia, though brief, is rich in results and pragmatic. It is another successful move of China's diplomacy in neighboring regions, which not only injects new vitality into the development of relations between China and ASEAN, but also is an important page in the history of China's good-neighborly diplomacy. Major achievements of Zhu's trip are as follows:

First, push China-ASEAN relations into a new stage of comprehensive development.

Wang said that it mainly shows in three aspects. First, the signing of the Framework Agreement on China-ASEAN Comprehensive Economic Cooperation is the opportunity to launch the process of establishing China-ASEAN Free Trade Zone. The target of the Framework is to become a partner of comprehensive economic cooperation. The core content is to identify the target, area, measure and timetable of the Free Trade Zone and lay down a legal foundation. The signing of the Framework conforms to the common interests of both sides and helps further deepening East Asia cooperation. It is also an important example of South-South cooperation and a new breakthrough in China-ASEAN relations.

Second, China takes the opportunity of issuing China's Country Report on participation in Greater Mekong Sub-region Economic Cooperation and launches China's full cooperation with ASEAN in the development of the Mekong river region. The Country Report comprehensively and systematicly elaborates China's future plan and key projects of participating in Mekong river cooperation for the first time and shows China's active support of the ASEAN integration process. It can be expected the development of the whole Mekong river region will be more active because of China's full participation.

Third, China takes the opportunity of the Joint Decalaration on Cooperation in Non-traditional Security Field and lauches China-ASEAN cooperation in non-traditional security field. The Joint Decalaration decides upon the key content and organization mechanism of the two sides in cooperation in this field, which shows that while China continues to deepen economic cooperation with ASEAN, the two sides open new prospects for cooperation in conformity with the change of the times and the needs of the two sides.

Wang said that at last year's 10+1 meeting, Premier Zhu and ASEAN leaders jointly identified key cooperation fields in the new century. After one year's efforts, during this year's meeting, China's Ministry of Agriculture and the Secretariat of ASEAN signed a Memorandum of Understanding on mid- and long-term cooperation on agriculture, which is a first step in China-ASEAN key cooperation areas. Zhu proposed to convene an information ministers' meeting between China and ASEAN and negotiate a mid- and long-term cooperation plan in information fields, which won unanimous agreement from ASEAN members. This also shows that China-ASEAN cooperation in key areas are progressing in a pragmatic manner.

Wang said that it is worth noting that after nearly three years of negotiation, China and ASEAN finally reached an agreement and signed the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea. Wang said that China's sovereignty position on the South China Sea issue is clear-cut and consistent. Controversy on terrortorial claims should be solved peacefully through negotiation. The significance of signing the Declaration is to send a clear signal to the outside that countries in the region can fully handle differences between each other through dialogue and jointly maintain peace and stability in the South China Sea region through cooperation. As the establishment of a Free Trade Area symbolizes a new level in China-ASEAN economic cooperation, the signing of the code of conduct in the South China Sea shows that political trust between China and ASEAN has been promoted to a new level.

Second, actively guide and promote the process of East Asia cooperation.

Wang said that 10+3 cooperation is only 5 years old, but has become the main cooperation channel in East Asia and has drawn wide attention from the international community. How should 10+3 develop in the future is an important task facing the 13 countries. Zhu clearly elaborated China's view during the meetings.

There are three things that need to be mentioned. First, Zhu proposed a 10+3 ministerial meeting on fighting cross-border crime, which was agreed on by the other countries. It shows that 10+3 cooperation has new content added and is the first step in political security dialogue and cooperation. Second, Zhu proposed to have a East Asian Mayors' Forum in Kunming, China next year, which will expand the coverage of East Asian cooperation and bring the initiative of the non-government sector into play. Third, Zhu announced the implementation of China's Asia Debt Reduction Plan, which reduces or writes off the debts that have matured of 6 countries, including Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia and Myanmar. This is China's another contribution to promoting common development in East Asia.

Third, support the integration of ASEAN.

The goal of ASEAN integration is to reduce the gap between new and old ASEAN countries. Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia and Myanmar, 4 new members of ASEAN, are all located in the Mekong river region and neighbor China's Southwestern provinces. Supporting the integration of ASEAN conforms to the needs of ASEAN and helps the economic development of China's West. China is the largest country in the Mekong river region. Zhu attended the Greater Mekong Sub-region Economic Cooperation Summit and made a keynote speech, in which he raised the principles that should be followed in the development of the Mekong river and has made important contribution to the success of the meeting. China also acceeded to the Framework Agreement for the Facilitation of Cross-border Movement of Goods and People and signed the Intergovernmental Agreement on Power Interconnection and Trade. China further announced that it will provide zero-tariff treatment for most goods coming from Laos, Cambodia and Myanmar starting from 2004. China will invest $30 million in the construction of certain sections of Kunming-Bangkok Road within the borders of Laos. These concrete measures have won welcome and acclaim from the other countries.

Fourth, further strengthen China-Japan-ROK cooperation.

China, Japan and the ROK are all important countries in East Asia. Dialogue and coordination within the framework of 10+3 is conducive to the sound development of East Asian cooperation and the promotion of mutually beneficial cooperation among the three countries. At the summit, Zhu proposed to identify economy and trade, IT industry, environmental protection, human resources development and cultural exchanges as key cooperation fields of the three countries. He also suggested that the three countries conduct mid- and long-term cooperation on treating sand storms and other large projects, and won active response from Japan and the ROK. Wang said that China, Japan and the ROK are the main driving force behind regional integration. We would like to maintain coordination with Japan and the ROK to support ASEAN continuing to play a dominant role in the 10+3 process and support the development momemtum in East Asian cooperation.

Fifth, consolidate and deepen China-Cambodia traditional friendly relations.

The close friendly relations between China and Cambodia are personally forged and nurtured by the leaders of the three generations of China and King Sihanouk, which is deeply rooted in the minds of the Cambodian people and the consensus of all parties and social circles in Cambodia. Zhu's visit to Cambodia is a visit by Chinese premier after 42 years. The Cambodian King, government and people have attached great importance to the visit and warmly and hospitably received Zhu. As a sincere friend of Cambodia, Premier Zhu explicitly supported Cambodia sticking to a road to development that suits its own national conditions. He proposed to identify agriculture, human resources development, infrastructure building as key cooperation areas of the two countries and signed a number of agreements with the Cambodian side. King Sihanouk and other Cambodian leaders acclaim Cambodia-China friendship and stressed that China is the most reliable and important friend of Cambodia. Under all circumstances, Cambodia will stick to the One China policy. The visit is smooth, and has reached the expected goal of enhancing friendship, expanding consensus and deepening cooperation.

Wang finally said that the main task of China's diplomacy in the new century is to provide a peaceful international environment for domestic economic development, in particular, a good neighboring environment. To that end, China staunchly stick to the good-neighborly and friendly policy. China's diplomacy is based on standing side by side with developing countries. Therefore we would like to constantly strengthen unity and cooperation with developing countries. ASEAN is a group of developing countries neighboring China, and occupies a unique and important position in China's external affairs. Common interests are far greater than differences between China and ASEAN, and cooperation opportunities than chanllenges. The establishment of a good-neighborly partnership of mutual trust between China and ASEAN fully conforms to the fundamental interests of the two sides. The many achievements Zhu made on the visit will have a positive and long-term influence on the future development of China-ASEAN relations.