PHNOM PENH, May 18 (Xinhua) -- China has actively supported the ten-country Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) in the 25 years of their relations, said a Cambodian expert specialized in ASEAN affairs.
In an article published in the Khmer Times newspaper on Wednesday, Chheang Vannarith, chairman of the Cambodian Institute for Strategic Studies, said this year marks 25th anniversary of the China-ASEAN dialogue partnership.
He said that over the past two decades, China has successfully implemented its regional economic integration policy, particularly through the implementation of the China-ASEAN Free Trade Agreement (CAFTA) adopted in 2010.
Since 2009, China has become the world's leading exporter, surpassing the United States in 2007 and Germany in 2009. China's trade with ASEAN countries has increased from 39.5 billion U.S. dollars in 2000 to around 450 billion U.S. dollars in 2015, making China the leading trading partner of ASEAN.
By 2020, the bilateral trade volume is expected to reach 1 trillion U.S. dollars. China is also a main source of foreign direct investment to ASEAN after the European Union, the United States and Japan.
"China has become a key regional development partner and development assistance provider, especially in narrowing development gaps between the member states of ASEAN," the expert said.
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