Addressing the 18th China-ASEAN leaders' meeting in Kuala Lumpur, Premier Li Keqiang started by hailing the achievements in bilateral trade and cultural exchange against the backdrop of a global slowdown.
"During the downturn in international trade, bilateral trade volume between China and ASEAN in the January-October period reached 379.2 billion U.S. dollars, with mutual investment exceeding 150 billion U.S. dollars. The number of exchange students between the two sides exceeded 180,000."
Upon his arrival on Friday, Li Keqiang said China and the ASEAN countries have linked destinies, shared interests and feelings.
As ASEAN's biggest trading partner, Li Keqiang pledged that China will deepen diplomatic ties with the bloc.
