Foreign Ministry spokesman Zhu Bangzao said January 25 on a regular press conference that China's accession into the Indian Ocean Rim Association of Regional Cooperation (IORARC) will help boost China's friendly ties with countries in the region.

The special session of the IORARC Council of Ministers held in Oman from January 22 to 23 accepted China as a dialogue member, Zhu said, and thanked relevant countries for their support.

Zhu praised the Association for having assumed an active role in promoting regional economic cooperation and common development among its members.

Although China is not a country along the Indian Ocean Rim, China has had "sound political relations with all countries of the Association and both sides enjoy tremendous potentials for economic and trade cooperation", he noted.

He promised that China will actively participate in cooperation projects of the Association, promote common development among its members and enhance existing cooperation with regional countries.

"China is willing, with all the countries of the Association, to make concerted efforts to the establishment of a new international political and economic order", he said.

Founded in March 1997 with headquarters in Mauritius, the IORARC is the only organization of countries around the Indian Ocean rim as a tool to promote their economic cooperation. The association has 19 members at the moment. (Xinhua)