China's Foreign Minister Wang Yi met with the Secretary-General of the Association of South East Asian Nations, Kao Kim Hourn, in Beijing on Tuesday. Wang told Kao that China attaches great importance to ASEAN and prioritizes ASEAN in neighborhood diplomacy. He said China would continue to support ASEAN's unity and community-building, and its central role in the regional architecture. Wang added that China is willing to work with ASEAN to build a closer community with a shared future, to implement the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea and advance consultations on a maritime code of conduct. Kao Kim Hourn called China a trustworthy partner on whom ASEAN can rely. He said ASEAN is willing to deepen and expand practical cooperation with China and jointly safeguard peace and stability in the South China Sea.