China has decided to send an ambassador to the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) in a bid to intensify cooperation between the two sides, China's top diplomat said Wednesday.

China is willing to conduct high-level dialogue with ASEAN member countries and exchange views on bilateral and major international issues, Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi said on the China-ASEAN Ministerial Meeting Wednesday.

China will work closely with ASEAN to speed up the establishment of the ASEAN-China Free Trade Area, Yang said, adding China is willing to complete the negotiation of investment treaty by the end of this year.

China will strengthen its cooperation with ASEAN in implementing the Mekong Basin development programs and projects within various frameworks such as Greater Mekong Sub-region, he added.

China and ASEAN have agreed to enhance their cooperation in order to meet the serious challenges posed by rising oil and food prices, the slowdown of world economy, the depreciation of US dollar, rising trade protectionism and natural disasters, Foreign Ministry spokesman Qin Gang said.

China will move forward with the follow-up actions of Declaration on the Code of Conduct on the South China Sea with ASEAN to promote pragmatic cooperation and joint development, Yang said.

The Code was signed in 2002 in Phnom Penh, Cambodia.