A spokesman of the Chinese Foreign Office Kong Quan has said that the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (Saarc) is an important organisation in the region and it could be helpful for promoting peace and development. Talking to APP, he said, "China actively support the role of the Saarc in the regional affairs and believe it has made efforts and made achievements in the regional development on all fronts, including economy, culture and society."

"China is willing to explore a multitude of ways to strengthen its cooperation with Saarc," he said, adding, "it is an important one for us to further enhance relations with the South Asian nations in political, social and economic fields."

Copyright Associated Press of Pakistan, 2005