The 10th China-ASEAN Senior Officials' Consultation opened Thursday afternoon in Sihanoukville, a seaside city 232 km south of capital Phnom Penh of Cambodia, with an aim to deepen cooperation between the two sides.

Chinese Assistant Foreign Minister Shen Guofang attended the meeting with deputy foreign ministers or representatives from ten ASEAN member countries, as well as senior officials of the ASEAN secretariat.

During their first-day meeting, the two sides exchanged views in an in-depth manner on deepening the China-ASEAN strategic partnership for peace and prosperity as well as international and regional issues of common concern.

They have also made preparation for the informal foreign minister' meeting between China and ASEAN and the China-ASEAN summit at the end of this year.

The consultation was launched in 1995 as an important annual political consultation mechanism for the two sides.

The consultation will continue on Friday.

(Xinhua News Agency June 4, 2004)