Chinese experts say President Hu Jintao's upcoming visit to Southeast Asian neighboring countries will improve their political and economic ties.  

"China always attaches importance to cooperation with developing countries, especially neighboring ASEAN countries, in political, economic and security fields," said Li Guofu, a researcher with the China Institute of International Studies.

"Such comprehensive cooperation yields a good environment for China's development and for neighboring countries' economic progress as well," he said, noting Hu's visit to Brunei Darussalam, Indonesia and the Philippines next week will further such cooperation.

During the visit, Hu will also attend the 2005 Asia-Africa Summit and activities commemorating the 50th anniversary of the Bandung Conference.

Sun Shihai, a researcher with the Chinese Academy of Social Science said that the exchange of high-level visits between China and neighboring countries served to enhance political, economic and military cooperation between them.

Neighboring countries, including the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) members, once worried China's soaring economy would threaten their own countries' interests.

"But after several years, it was proved that Chinese economic growth brings about benefits rather than harm to neighboring economies," Sun said.

Six of China's top 10 trade partners in 2004 were located in East and Southeast Asia, accounting for over half of Chinese total trade volume.

Sino-ASEAN trade has surged at a yearly average rate of 20 percent since 1990 and hit US$105.9 billion in 2004, up 35 percent year on year, which made ASEAN members China's largest trade partners of developing countries, official figures show.

Meanwhile, Chinese cooperation with South and Central Asia keeps strengthening and South Asia has become China's major market for construction projects, said Wang Bingxin, director of the Asian Department of the Ministry of Commerce.

"President Hu's visit to Southeast Asia next week is also his first visit abroad this year. That shows how much importance the new Chinese leadership attaches on achieving substantial cooperation with neighboring countries," said Li Guofu.

(Xinhua News Agency April 18, 2005)