Premier Li Keqiang vowed on Thursday to strengthen maritime cooperation with members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, while calling on countries in the region to resolve territorial and maritime disputes through friendly consultation.

In an address to a regional summit in Brunei on Thursday, Li said China will initiate a number of maritime cooperation projects with ASEAN countries.

The projects will be sponsored by the China-ASEAN Maritime Cooperation Fund with 3 billion yuan ($484 million) allocated by China.