HONG KONG, Dec. 13 -- China's 21th Century Maritime Silk Road initiative was hailed on Saturday as "paramount" by Sarah Y. Tong, senior research fellow of the National University of Singapore's East Asian Institute.

The expert told the first Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Development Forum, which was held in Hong Kong, that the maritime silk road will be a strong force to facilitate regional integration.

"It is the most important and paramount initiative," said the expert.

She said bilateral economic relations have intensified and become increasingly important for both China and ASEAN nations.

China-ASEAN economic cooperation and related institutional arrangements serve to enhance their respective economic relations with third parties, she said, adding that closer bilateral cooperation help to revitalize and reinforce the development of regional and global economic architecture.

The expert said, although the China-ASEAN ties have been fast developing, there lies great potential for both sides to further enhance cooperation.

The one-day forum, with the theme of Building Mutual Trust and a Community of Common Destiny, was attended by government officials, experts, scholars from the 10 ASEAN countries as well as representatives of Hong Kong's business community and related experts and scholars from mainland China.