Strengthening friendly Sino-ASEAN ties and close partnership benefits all in region

China and the ASEAN member states have everything to gain from continuously injecting fresh momentum into their cooperation as their relationship holds boundless potential.

Thanks to the determined efforts of both sides, relations between China and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations have witnessed tremendous progress in recent years. Two-way trade has surged, connectivity has been enhanced, and economic, people-to-people and other exchanges have flourished. The burgeoning cooperation has brought tangible benefits to the people on both sides and helped promote broader regional development and integration.

China has remained ASEAN's largest trading partner for 15 consecutive years, while ASEAN has been China's top trading partner for four consecutive years. Statistics indicate that in the first seven months of this year two-way trade reached $552 billion, up 7.7 percent year-on-year, accounting for about one-sixth of China's overall trade volume in the same period.