Beijing, Sep 18 (Prensa Latina) China and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) manifested today their will to boost bilateral maritime cooperation through the initiative of the Strip and the Silk Route.
Since the opening of the 12th Session of the China-Asean Exhibition, held since this Friday until next Monday in Nanning, both sides wanted to increase commerce and maritime contribution.

This annual event had the presence of around 2200 companies of this territory and from Asean's member countries, even the organizers indicated the applications were bigger than the capacity of the meeting, which shows the strong interest in the China-Asean cooperation.

Wang Lei, Secretary General of the Exhibition, pointed out the Maritime Silk Road of the 21st century will promote maritime bilateral reciprocity and it will be a new pillar inside the strategic association between these parties.

Up to this day, China has signed agreements with members of Asean on environment protection, scientific research, maritime rescue and climate change.

Beijing announced some days ago its decision to boost the creation of a special fund to support the Internet and telecommunication infrastructures to connect this territory with the members of that regional organization.

2015 was elected as the year of China-Asean's maritime cooperation, a suitable occasion for the joint expansion of the "blue economy" and the updating of the bilateral cooperation, indicated Phinit Jatosriphitak, former deputy minister of Thailand.

Beijing is Asean's biggest trading partner and the organization is China's third.

Official records register that the trade between the parties increased 8.23 percent until it reached 480 thousand million dollars last year.