China firmly supports building of ASEAN Community: Chinese premier

China

China firmly supports building of ASEAN Community: Chinese premier

2024-10-10 19:42 Last Updated At：23:17

China firmly supports the building of the Community of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), as well as ASEAN's central position in regional cooperation and its greater role in international affairs, Chinese Premier Li Qiang said on Wednesday.

China is ready to have in-depth exchange of views with all parties on major regional cooperation issues and contribute to joint efforts in making the region an important engine for global development, he noted.

Li made the statement in a written statement released upon his arrival at the Wattay International Airport in Vientiane, Laos, where he was received by Lao Minister of Planning and Investment and Chairman of the Lao-China Cooperation Committee Office Phet Phomphiphak, and Chinese Ambassador to Laos Fang Hong.

Li arrived in Vientiane to attend leaders' meetings on East Asia cooperation, and pay an official visit to Laos at the invitation of Prime Minister Sonexay Siphandone of the Lao People's Democratic Republic, which currently holds the rotating chairmanship of ASEAN.

Li pointed out that in recent years, under the strategic guidance of Xi Jinping, general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and Chinese president, and Thongloun Sisoulith, general secretary of the Lao People's Revolutionary Party Central Committee and Lao president, China and Laos have continued to deepen and consolidate their comprehensive strategic cooperation, and the bilateral relations have entered a new era of building a community with a shared future.

China is ready to work with Laos to further synergize their development strategies, strengthen solidarity and coordination, and push for more substantive progress in building a China-Laos community with a shared future, so as to better benefit the two peoples, he added.

During his stay, Li is also scheduled to attend the 27th China-ASEAN Summit, the 27th ASEAN Plus Three Summit and the 19th East Asia Summit to be held from Oct 9 to 12.

Thailand closes over 1,000 schools near border amid armed clashes with Cambodia

Thailand has temporarily closed more than 1,000 schools in border areas following a new round of armed clashes between Thai and Cambodian troops along their shared border.

The Thai Ministry of Education ordered the suspension of classes on Friday in seven provinces bordering Cambodia, affecting a total of 1,060 schools, to ensure the safety of students and teachers.

Buriram Province is among the areas most affected by the renewed fighting, with more than 100 schools shut down. At local shelters, displaced residents, including children and teenagers, have sought refuge as fighting continues.

One girl said she had stayed in the shelter for 11-12 days already. "I moved here because of the clashes between Thailand and Cambodia," she said, adding that she could hear very loud gunfire at her home.

She said school won't be open until the clashes end, and she misses her classmates very much.

A teenage boy in the shelter expressed the same emotions.

"It's been 13 days since I moved here. I heard gunfires at home and I was so scared that I moved to the shelter. I want to return to school to study and see my friends," he said.

A displaced woman recalled her time in a shelter when border clashes between the two countries broke out earlier this year.

"I stayed in the shelter for a week when the last clashes broke out. This time I don't know how long I need to stay here before I can return home," she said.

Border clashes between the two sides reignited on Dec 7, less than two months after the two sides signed a joint peace declaration, with both sides trading the blame for instigating the attacks.