Q: According to reports, the recent ASEAN Foreign Ministers' Meeting is considering enlarging the East Asia Summit (EAS) to include Russia and the United States. ASEAN has briefed the other parties of the idea during the Foreign Ministers' Meeting of ASEAN-China, Japan and ROK (10+3) and the Foreign Ministers' unofficial consultation of the EAS. What is China's position?

A: China always stands for open and inclusive cooperation in East Asia. Regarding the EAS enlargement, we value and respect the consensus of ASEAN and are ready to stay in communication with other parties so as to finally reach consensus through consultations.

We are of the view that the evolving of the regional architecture should be conducive to promoting peace, development, cooperation and prosperity of East Asia as well as consistent with the diversity of East Asia. Regional cooperation mechanisms should complement each other in a mutually reinforcing way towards common development. ASEAN's leading role should be upheld in the evolving of the regional architecture.