China willing to provide funding
Top mainland officials yesterday called for greater co-operation between Beijing and Southeast Asia on port development at the China-Asean forum being held in Guangxi .
The emphasis on the shipping and port development came as Vice-Premier Zeng Peiyan reiterated China's call for an early conclusion to talks on a free trade area investment agreement.
'The Chinese side will increase investment in Asean countries which are the major target areas for Chinese enterprises to carry out overseas business operations,' said Mr Zeng at the opening of the Fourth China-Asean Business and Investment Summit in Nanning .
While hailing the rapid growth of trade between China and association members that reached US$160 billion last year, more than 20 times the 1991 amount, Mr Zeng stressed the importance of transport development.
China's links with the Association of Southeast Asian Nations on areas like trade and transport development has attracted increasing attention because of Beijing's political and economic strength.
Under an earlier agreement, a free-trade zone will be established by 2010, which will see the creation of a 1.7 billion consumer market, about US$2,000 billion worth of gross domestic product and a trade volume of an estimated US$1.2 trillion.
