Foreign Ministers of ASEAN-China to meet on January 25; ASEAN+3 to intensify tourism cooperation; Indonesia to donate US$ 1 million to Australia; Indonesia supports East Timor’s membership bid; Ethnic parties of Myanmar call for end to sanctions;
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  • China and ASEAN foreign ministers will meet January 24-25, 2011 in Southwestern China's Yunnan province to discuss the progress on China-ASEAN dialogue. The Chinese Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi and his counterparts from ASEAN countries will exchange views on cementing China-ASEAN strategic cooperation.1

    The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN)+3 (China, Japan and South Korea) tourism officials met in Pnom Penh on January 16 to discuss ways to promote tourism cooperation. It is understood that the three countries, especially China, have helped ASEAN a lot in developing tourism through human capacity building and promotions through exhibitions.2

    The Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono has ordered the donation of US$1 million to help victims of the recent floods in Queensland, Australia. The government wanted to help the people of Queensland after Australia donated more than AUS$7 million (US$6.92 million) to help Indonesia after a tsunami killed hundreds in Wasior and Mentawai Islands regencies last year.3

    Indonesia has voiced support for East Timor's bid to join the Association of Southeast Asian Nations. There has been no formal discussion between the two countries, but the Indonesian officials are willing to support the case of Timor Leste, as the relationship between the two countries has improved in recent years.4

    Myanmar's main ethnic political parties called upon the Western nations to lift economic sanctions on the country as its new parliament prepares to convene for the first time. The parties, in a joint statement issued on January 16, 2011 said that the US and EU countries are causing difficulties to the country.5

    In other developments, Burma's Senior General, Than Shwe,s reportedly drawn up a draft outlining his lineup of the future ruling hierarchy, some two weeks ahead of the opening session of Parliament on January 31. However, the junta’s No.2, Vice Snr-Gen Maung Aye, is reportedly set to retire from office for reasons of ill-health.6

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