On March 22, 2010, Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao met with visiting ASEAN Secretary General Surin Pitsuwan at the Great Hall of the People.

Wen said that since China and ASEAN established their dialogue relations 19 years ago, both sides have launched a strategic partnership oriented towards peace and prosperity, continuously increased mutual understanding and trust, launched the China-ASEAN free trade area and carried out cooperation on a wide range of areas including economy, trade, investment, infrastructure construction, as well as culture, education and human resources development. China and ASEAN countries have also worked together in coping with the Asian financial crisis and the global financial crisis and in pushing forward East Asian cooperation, greatly contributing to regional peace, development and prosperity. Wen said that China, as a good neighbor, good partner and good friend of ASEAN, attaches great importance to strengthening good-neighborly and friendly cooperation with ASEAN. China will as always firmly adhere to the foreign policy of treating its neighbors well and as partners and support ASEAN integration and community-building as well as ASEAN’s leading role in East Asian cooperation, so as to achieve common development and win-win outcome together with ASEAN.

Surin made positive comments on ASEAN-China relations and appreciated China’s support of ASEAN integration and community-building. Surin said that China’s economic growth and enhancement of the overall national strength provide ASEAN with a huge market and development space, and the building of the ASEAN-China free trade area offers opportunities and favorable conditions for development of both sides. ASEAN is ready to work with China to actively push forward the bilateral free trade area and enhance pragmatic cooperation in all areas, in a bid to bring benefits to 1.9 billion ASEAN and Chinese people. Surin appreciated and looked forward to China enhancing support and help for the ASEAN Secretariat.