November 28 saw the Third Informal ASEAN-China, Japan and South Korea Summit and China-ASEAN Informal Summit held at Manila, capital of the Philippines. The two summits are new efforts committed to the goal, principles and the ways and areas with good neighborly ASEAN and extra-ASEAN relationship, mutual benefit and cooperation to be developed. A direct result of these will be that East Asian cooperation, oriented to the 21st century, is to be orbited onto the right sound track for a new future to be created for peace and development in the East Asian region.

What is the goal set? This is to maintain peace and stability and promote common prosperity and development following the interest and common will of peoples in the East Asian region.

What are the principles that must be adhered to? On top of the UN Charter there are the five principles for peaceful coexistence and all other universally accepted rules and international laws guiding the relations between countries throughout the world. It has been time and again proven by the history of modern international relations between countries that only when the said principles are strictly observed can good normal relationships be properly developed between countries. Underlining these are good stable state-to-state relations to form the political basis for developing cooperation between different nations.

What are the ways to be taken? Indispensable is a mechanism for possible dialogues and consultative talks to be held at different levels and in many a varied areas. Only when dialogues and consultations are held between countries can their mutual understanding be furthered. There will be will possibility for disputes arising from different national backgrounds and social systems, cultural traditions and development levels to be erased, and contradictions originating from history or other factors solved along with a furthering of mutual trust toward forging closer ties of cooperation between various countries.

What are the areas of cooperation to be developed? In addition to such international units as the UN, WTO, Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation Organization, Asia-Europe Meeting and the ASEAN Forum, the central sector tasked must be in the area of economic endeavor, to be specific, covering such areas as trade, finance, investment, advance of science and technology. In addressing a world globalization of economies and resultant challenges and impacts of the Asian crisis the ASEAN countries have deepened their relationship of mutual reliance. This calls naturally for the East Asian countries to go in primarily for the effort to strength their economic cooperation and promote common development.

In the past 32 years since its founding in 1967, the ASEAN has been developed into an important political force on the international arena in spite of various difficulties and contradictions met. By now, it has come to exert an increased influence on the development process of a multi-polar world. China and the ASEAN countries are good neighbors. In the meantime, they are also developing countries. Mutual benefit and cooperation have formed the main part of links advancing China's relationship with the ASEAN nations. This is especially so for things since last year. With a Joint Communique issued by ASEAN leaders with President Jiang Zemin in his historic visit made last year leaders on the two side have specified their ASEAN and China good neighborly trustworthy partnership oriented to the 21st century. This has placed China's relations with the ASEAN nations on a new stage of development. To help the crisis-ridden countries to tide over financial difficulties, China, on top of providing possible financial help to them, has even persisted in a non-devaluation policy on its Renminbi when domestic demand is vigorously stimulated. Facts show that China is a trustworthy friend of the ASEAN countries and that as an important force it also securely helps maintain regional and world peace and prosperity. Only when mutual benefit and cooperation are genuinely promoted the Asian countries will certainly achieve the goal of advancing their cause of common progress in contributing to a sound development of world politics and the rise of a new world economic order in the new century. (Commentary by Zhang Zhuji)