The website run by the Foreign Ministry quoted the director of the Institute for Chinese Studies Do Tien Sam as saying, "the ACCCS aims to advise the governments of ASEAN member countries in making China-related policies, and enhance the efficiency of ASEAN member countries' Chinese studies."

The ACCCS will also work to strengthen the links between ASEAN's experts on modern China as well as offer consultancy services to businesses and agencies that have ties with both ASEAN and China, Sam said.

Right after coming into being, Sam noted, the ACCCS will conduct systematic research on contemporary China, thus contributing to the increasing cooperation between ASEAN and China for the sake of peace, stability, prosperity and sustainable development in the region and the world at large.

The estalishment of the ACCCS, which will have its headquarters in Ha Noi, was suggested by Prime Minister Phan Van Khai at the ASEAN-China Summit in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, in 2002. The initiative was immediately welcomed and supported by leaders from ASEAN member countries and China as well.

This also reflects ASEAN's common awareness on China's present role in the group's future development in the context that globalisation is prevailing.

Taking into consideration both the requirements for the ACCCS establishment project and the Foreign Ministry's proposal, the Prime Minister has decided to assign the Institute for Chinese Studies under the Viet Nam Institute of Social Sciences to execute the project, Sam said.

As planned, the ACCCS will make its debut in November this year. The centre will include a consultation council with seven members: one Chinese, two Vietnamese, and four persons from other ASEAN member countries, who will work for a five-year term; and an executive board comprising three Vietnamese members.

At the conference, Chinese Ambassador to Viet Nam Qi Jianguo said cooperation between China and ASEAN has grown steadily over the recent past.

Trade between China and ASEAN reached 105.9 billion USD in 2004, fulfilling the target of a 100 billion USD turnover one year ahead of schedule.

ASEAN and China signed a memorandum of understanding on cultural cooperation and started reducing taxes for 7,000 commodity items in July this year.