(Yicai Global) July 27 -- Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi expressed China's willingness to work with the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) to establish an ever-closer relationship to share the future.

Both sides need to stay firmly rooted in the present, while looking ahead to the future, and further attune China's One Belt, One Road initiative to ASEAN's development scheme to accelerate the partnership in all fields, he advised.

Wang said this in a meeting yesterday with the envoys to China of the 10 ASEAN member countries, Chinese Foreign Ministry's website reported. He further commemorated the 50 years since ASEAN's founding and the 15 years since it strategically partnered with China. This year marks a crucial point for both sides, where they should learn from experience while ushering in more and greater prospects, he added. To head into the new landscape, China proposed opportunities be key to the partnership with East Asian countries and regions to shape the future, outside interference must be eliminated and a proactive momentum should be maintained to settle the South China Sea dispute. China was willing to unite with ASEAN to exchange ideas on and develop maritime cooperation to sustain the hard-won peace in the South China Sea area. China and ASEAN should jointly lead the regional cooperation in East Asia to facilitate regional integration and globalization, he summed up.

Envoys from ASEAN countries, in turn, conveyed their high opinion of the achievements the China-ASEAN partnership has realized, and expressed their appreciation for China's deep regard for its friendship with ASEAN through the years, as well as supporting the formation of the ASEAN community and regional integration. They extolled China for serving such an instrumental function in making the region more peaceful and prosperous. China was welcome to offer proposals to promote the China-ASEAN relationship and cooperation with East Asia, they said, adding that ASEAN also looked forward to further synergizing with China strategically, deepening the partnership comprehensively and practically, especially in advancing the One Belt, One Road initiative.