Premier Li's Eurasia tour to unleash potential for regional co-op(3)

NEW DEVELOPMENT FOR SUB-REGIONAL COOPERATION

The GMS, initiated by the Asian Development Bank in 1992, is composed of six member nations in the Mekong River Basin -- China, Myanmar, Laos, Thailand, Cambodia and Vietnam.

Jin Canrong, associate dean of Renmin University's School of International Relations, said the GMS cooperation has made considerable headway after China's participation, adding that China's development has made the cooperation project come true.

Li's attendance at the GMS meeting will politically boost the development of this mechanism and promote mutual political trust with some Southeastern Asian nations, so as to dispel misgivings and strengthen their political will to interact with each other, he said.

The GMS serves not only as an important element for China's foreign policy toward its neighbors, but also a complement to the country's cooperation with the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN).

As countries in the subregion are also landlocked members of ASEAN, most of whom are less developed nations within the bloc, China's cooperation with them will help ASEAN realize balanced development.

Xu Liping, a research fellow of the Asia-Pacific and Global Strategy with CASS, said China has made great contribution to the sub-regional cooperation in financial assistance, poverty reduction, agricultural technology and non-traditional security.

He added that Li's attendance at the meeting will undoubtedly play a positive role in pushing forward cooperation in the subregion.

The Chinese premier's proposals at a series of leaders' meeting on East Asia cooperation last month, including inter-connectivity and an upgraded free trade area, also relate to cooperation in the GMS, he said.

Therefore, Li is likely to detail those proposals at the upcoming GMS summit and put forward some new proposals, which will "not only focus on economic development, but also reinforce security cooperation, in a bid to realize a 'dual-wheel driving force' for both political security and economic development," Xu noted.