China has seen in recent years a favorable trend in economic and trade cooperation with southern Asia countries. Its total trade volume with seven such countries neared 20 billion US dollars this year, a growth of more than 60 percent over the 12 billion dollars last year, said Wan Jifei, Chairman of the China Council for the Promotion of International Trade (CCPIT).

Customs statistics showed that from January to November this year China's bilateral trade with India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Bhutan and Maldives reached 17.43 billion dollars, including 9.87 billion exports and 7.56 billion imports. The whole-year figure is expected to stand at near 20 billion dollars.

Wan made the remark at the opening ceremony of the First China-S. Asia Business Forum held in Kunming, December 21. He pointed out that China and the seven southern Asian countries, though still in a developing stage, are of significant growth potential.

By People's Daily Online