PREMIER WEN JIABAO'S PLEDGE THAT CHINA will continue to expand imports from the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and properly address problems in the development of the China-ASEAN Free Trade Area (CAFTA) will be a shot in the arm for bilateral ties.

Wen made the promises during a keynote speech at the opening ceremony of the eighth China-ASEAN Business and Investment Summit in Nanning, South China's Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region on Friday. The summit was held concurrently with the eighth China-ASEAN Expo. The two gatherings drew leaders from ASEAN nations and 2,300 companies.

The expo was initiated by Wen in 2003 as a major platform to promote common prosperity and prepare for the establishment of CAFTA, which was officially inaugurated in Jan 1, 2010.