Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao here Monday expounded China's policy and propositions on expanding relations with its surrounding countries.

　　He made the exposition while meeting on separate occasions withSultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah of Brunei Darussalam, Vietnamese Prime Minister Phan Van Khai, and Myanmar Prime Minister Khin Nyunt.

　　Wen is here for attending meetings of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN).

　　During his meeting with Sultan Bolkiah, Wen highly appreciated the growth of Sino-Bruneian relations of friendship, good-neighborliness and cooperation.

　　He said China is willing to import more petroleum from Brunei, take part in Brunei's oil and gas development and infrastructure construction such as harbor and telecommunications. It is also willing to promote the bilateral cooperation in the fields including education and culture, he added.

　　Bolkiah said the relations between Brunei and China have witnessed smooth progress, as shown by frequent exchange of high-level visits and increasing trade and economic cooperation.

　　Brunei is willing to further expand two-way trade and increase friendly contacts between enterprises and peoples of the two countries, he said.

　　During his meeting with Phan Van Khai, Wen said that at present Sino-Vietnamese relations are growing well and that the Chinese Communist Party and the Chinese government attach importance to expanding ties with Vietnam.

　　Both sides should continue to implement the consensus reached between leaders of the two countries and deepen the overall cooperation in various fields, he said.

　　At the same time, Wen said, the two sides should pay more attention to and properly handle the existing problems in the bilateral relations by concluding at an early date the follow-up negotiations on the agreement on Beibu Gulf fishery cooperation. He said the two sides should join hands to maintain the order of fishery production in the Beibu Gulf and prevent the happening of incidents that harm fishermen's interests.

　　Phan Van Khai said Vietnam attaches great importance to expanding friendly relations of cooperation with China in various areas, and is willing to be China's ever-lasting good neighbor, good partner, good friend, and good comrade.

　　He also said the Vietnamese government fully agrees with China's opinion and will take concrete measures to properly solve the existing problems.

　　While meeting with Khin Nyunt, Wen said China hopes Myanmar will maintain stability, achieve economic development, and promotethe process of national reconciliation.

　　He said China is willing to strengthen mutually beneficial cooperation with Myanmar, including the areas of agriculture, resource development, infrastructure construction, border areas administration, and anti-drug, and join hands with Myanmar to crack down on cross-border crimes and maintain stability in the border areas.

　　Khin Nyunt said Myanmar-China relations have seen fairly rapid growth in recent years, which has benefited peoples of both countries substantially.

　　Myanmar thanks China for its help and support to Myanmar in thepast years and will maintain stability and embark on the road to democracy, he said. Enditem

www.chinaview.cn 2003-10-07