BEIJING,Nov.14(Xinhua)--AproposalmadebyChinesePremierLiKeqiangtoexpediteinterconnectivitywithChina'sdiplomaticallyprioritizedneighborsintheASEANblocisexpectedtoboostbilateralrelationsandgeneratenewmomentumforgrowth.
Duringaseriesofleaders'meetingsonEastAsiancooperationheldinMyanmaronThursday,thepremiersaidChinawouldofferover20billionU.S.dollarsinloanstosupportSoutheastAsianinterconnectivity.
Theofferincludesapreferentialloanworth10billiondollarsfortheASEANmemberblocanda10billiondollarloan,setupbytheChinaDevelopmentBank,forregionalinfrastructuredevelopment.
Lisaidthatinterconnectivitywasaprerequisiteforhealthyregionaltrade,andinvestmentliberalization.
ChinaandSoutheastAsiancountriesshouldensuresufficientandsmoothsea,airandlandtransportationlinks;enhancedplanningandconstructioninthefieldsoftelecommunication,electricpowerandInternetinfrastructure;aswellasimprovedconvenienceintheareasofcustomsclearance,andmarketregulations,supervisionandstandardization.
"TheinterconnectionproposalmadebythepremierwillbeapillarforChina-ASEANrelationsinthefutureandcreatenewgrowth,"saidvicepresidentoftheChinaInstituteofInternationalStudiesRuanZongze.
RuansaidthatthefinancialsupportwaswelcomedbyASEAN.
"[Infrastructureprojects],suchasbridges,roadsandportswillunleashmassivegrowthpotential.ManySoutheastAsiannationshavethedemandformoreinfrastructureprojects,however,withoutsufficientfunding,"RuansaidduringanonlineinterviewontheChinesecentralgovernment'swebsiteonFriday.
AccordingtoanestimatebytheAsiaDevelopmentBankin2009,Asianeedsabout8trillionU.S.dollarsininvestmentby2020toimprovetheregion'sbatteredinfrastructureandtokeeptheireconomieshumming.
ChinaalsoproposedtheestablishmentofanAsianInfrastructureInvestmentBank(AIIB)tofundinfrastructureprojectsinunderdevelopedAsiancountries.
Lastmonth,atotalof21AsianeconomiesinkedaMemorandumofUnderstanding(MoU)ontheestablishmentoftheAIIBwithexpectedinitialsubscribedcapitalof50billionU.S.dollars.
AnalystssaidthattheAIIBwouldcomplementratherthanrivalexistingdonorbanks,whoseprioritiesaremoreonpovertyreduction.
WorldBankPresidentJimYongKimalsosaidinJulythattheproposedAIIBwouldbeanewforcetobattlepovertyandbringsharedprosperityglobally,ascurrentinvestmentcannotfinanceinfrastructureinvestmentindevelopingnations.
DuringtheAsia-PacificEconomicCooperation(APEC)Beijingmeetingsthatconcludedthisweek,ChinesePresidentXiJinpingannouncedChinawillcontribute40billionU.S.dollarstosetupaSilkRoadFund,whichwillsupportinfrastructure;resources;industrialcooperation;financialcooperation;andotherprojectsamongcountriesalongthe"BeltandRoad".
TheBeltandRoadnotionreferstotheSilkRoadEconomicBelt,whichrunsfromChinaviaCentralAsiaandRussiatoEurope,andthe21stCenturyMaritimeSilkRoad,whichrunsthroughtheStraightofMalaccatoIndia,theMiddleEastandEastAfrica.
RuansaidthattheAIIBandtheSilkRoadFundwouldassistwiththecapitalbottleneckfacedbySoutheastAsiannations.
"Apartfromtheaforementionedinfrastructureprojects,ChinaandASEANalsofaceacontinuingurbanizationprocess,whichwillonlybringaboutnewneeds,"hesaid.
"However,wereallyneedtostartwithconcreteprojects,thesuccessofwhichmayfurthershowthatChina-ASEANcooperationininterconnectivitybuildingcantrulyimproveinfrastructure,boostregionaleconomicdevelopment,andcreatejobs,"hesaid.