Foreign Minister Wang Yi's four-nation trip to Southeast Asia, which concluded on Sunday, has sent an unmistakable message to the outside world that China attaches great importance to maintaining friendly relations with its Asian neighbors.

The trip, which was Wang's first as China's new foreign minister, took him to Thailand, Indonesia, Singapore and Brunei. It helped cement China's ties with these countries and deepened understanding and cooperation with the Association of Southeast Asian Nations.

Since China's new leadership took office in March, the country has driven home the message that it will continue to enrich its time-honored friendly ties with ASEAN countries.