ASEAN Secretary General Le Luong Minh met with Governor of China’s Yunnan province Li Jiheng in Jakarta on April 2 to look for ways to further boost cooperation between Yunnan and ASEAN member countries.

During the meeting, Minh and Jiheng exchanged views on issues of common concerns, especially cooperation in trade, investment, aviation, agriculture, environmental protection, tourism and people-to-people exchange.

The two sides stressed on the importance of strengthening connectivity between ASEAN and Yunnan province, focusing on the completion of Singapore-Kunming Rail Link (SKRL) and North-South Economic Corridor, including the Highway Network from Bangkok to Kunming.

Minh appreciated Yunnan province’s commitment to deepening its cooperation with ASEAN. He also suggested the strengthening of mutual cooperation in developing small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) as well as further support for Initiative for ASEAN Integration (IAI) to promote the economic integration of Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar and Vietnam (CLMV).-VNA