No 1 Hospital Affiliated to Guangxi Medical University, a famous hospital in the Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region, is using its geographical advantage to cooperate and conduct medical communications with the Association of Southeast Asian Nations.

Personnel from the hospital, which is in Nanning, the region's capital, and the hospitals of Southeast Asian countries, including those in Vietnam and Thailand, visit each other frequently to learn from each other about medical technologies or management concepts, according to Chen Junqiang, deputy director of the hospital.

"We also provide medical services, such as physical examinations, for consulate staff of ASEAN who are working in Guangxi," Chen said.

"They have a strong belief in and speak highly of the medical service we provide, as our medical technology is comparatively better than hospitals of many ASEAN neighbors," he said.

Chen also said that the hospitals have been preparing for a couple of years for the establishment of a China-ASEAN medical cooperation center. The aim is to deepen medical cooperation between the hospital and its ASEAN counterparts on such aspects as medical treatment, healthcare, physical examinations and medical training.

"We are still preparing, in the meantime, while waiting for the government's approval," Chen said.

"Once it is established, the center will have a big chance to make great contributions to the medical cooperation between China and ASEAN, as well as promote the bilateral relationship," he added.