China today said it supports the Philippines for assuming the rotating presidency of ASEAN as the two countries warm up to each other, shelving their bitter maritime dispute over the South China Sea.
"China hopes to push relations with ASEAN to a new level," China's Foreign Ministry spokesman, Geng Shuang told a media briefing here.
Relations between the two nations which were frozen over the maritime dispute improved after Philippines President Rodrigo Duterte came to power last year.
China claims the whole of the resiurce-rich South China Sea but its claims are contested by its neighbours - Vietnam, the Philippines, Malaysia, Brunei and Taiwan.
Duterte has downgraded ties with traditional ally the US following criticism over his violent anti-drug campaign in which over 5,000 people were killed and has improved ties with China.
The Chinese government has always regarded Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) as a priority in its diplomacy with neighboring countries, Geng said.
China and ASEAN commemorated the 25th anniversary of relations between the two sides in September, 2016.
During their meetings, Chinese Premier Li Keqiang and leaders from the 10 ASEAN members agreed to lift China-ASEAN cooperation to a new level, which demonstrated the firm resolve of the two sides to deepen mutual trust and enhance cooperation, said Geng.
This year marks the 50th anniversary of the founding of ASEAN and it is also the China-ASEAN year of tourism cooperation, he said, adding that China is ready to work with the regional bloc to enhance policy communication, alignment of development strategies and pragmatic cooperation.
China hopes that the two sides can deepen all-round cooperation, especially in the areas of the economy and trade, interconnectivity and industrial capacity, said Geng.
China is willing to work with ASEAN to implement the third action plan for their strategic partnership and push for positive results from the upgrading of the China-ASEAN Free Trade Area (FTA).
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