摘要：BEIJING, April 8 (Xinhua) -- China remains firmly committed to rooting itself in its neighborhood and contributing to regional dev

BEIJING, April 8 (Xinhua) -- China remains firmly committed to rooting itself in its neighborhood and contributing to regional development, Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian said on Tuesday.

He emphasized that the principles of amity, sincerity, mutual benefit and inclusiveness will continue to benefit more people across Asia and contribute to building an Asian community with a shared future, bringing greater stability and hope to the world.

Lin's remarks came in response to a media query at a regular press briefing, following a recent think tank article which noted that China and ASEAN are emerging as a new center of influence in East Asia.

The article highlighted that the China-ASEAN relationship -- grounded in complementary interests, frequent trade and shared values -- holds significant relevance not only for Asia but also for the global community, with observers pointing to China-ASEAN cooperation as a model for China's broader engagement with neighboring countries.

Over the past three decades, China and ASEAN have maintained a stable and growing dialogue partnership, Lin said, adding that their cooperation has become increasingly resilient, dynamic and productive, making it one of the most vibrant and successful collaborative models in both the Asia-Pacific region and the world.

Lin said that China and ASEAN have been each other's largest trading partners for five consecutive years, with bilateral trade reaching 6.99 trillion yuan (around 970.32 billion U.S. dollars) in 2024 and the 3.0 upgrade protocol of the China-ASEAN Free Trade Area is expected to be signed within the year.

China-ASEAN relationship vividly reflects China's longstanding principles of amity, sincerity, mutual benefit and inclusiveness in neighborhood diplomacy, as well as its commitment to fostering friendship and partnership with neighboring countries, Lin said, adding that political mutual trust and shared interests between China and its neighbors continue to deepen.

China has become the largest trading partner of 18 countries, while regional cooperation mechanisms such as East Asia Cooperation, Lancang-Mekong Cooperation, China-Central Asia Cooperation and the Shanghai Cooperation Organization have played a significant role in advancing regional economic integration, according to the spokesperson.

Lin said that as part of the big Asian family, China remains committed to fostering friendship, sincerity, mutual benefit, openness and inclusiveness with its neighbors.

来源：中国网一点号