Besides offering vast trade and investment opportunities for other countries during a time of crisis, China, as a member of the Group of 20 (G20), the premium platform for international economic coordination and cooperation in a post-crisis world, has also actively joined international efforts to mitigate the adverse effects of the global financial crisis.

At the sixth G20 summit held in Cannes, France in early November, China and other leading emerging and industrial countries pledged to further enhance policy coordination to ensure strong, balanced and sustainable economic growth.

Leaders also called for better financial regulation and reform of the global monetary system to avoid any future re-run of the crisis.

In Southeast Asia, China's near neighbors have benefited most from their deep involvement in regional trade and integration.

Sundram Pushpanathan, Deputy Secretary-General of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), praised China's contribution to the economic growth in ASEAN member countries.

"ASEAN and China... 'own' one of the largest FTAs in the world," he said, referring to the ASEAN China Free Trade Area (ACFTA).

The free trade deal, which came into force on January 1, 2010, not only boosted the economy in the East Asian region, but also "significantly contributes to facilitating global trade," he said.

According to China's Ministry of Commerce, China now has become the biggest trading partner of ASEAN, while ASEAN ranks third among China's trade partners, following the EU and the United States.

Dr. Sri Adiningsih, the co-founder of the Asia Pacific Studies at Indonesia's Gadjah Mada university, told Xinhua: "China has been acting as the axis of the economy in East Asia (and) will be the backbone of the world's economy ..so it is very important to make ASEAN get along with China in attaining growth in the eve of global economic awakening."

Apart from regional cooperation, China also extended help directly to some countries whose economy suffered much from the crisis.

Last month, China promised to grant zero-tariff status to some least developed countries, in the aim of helping to restore their sagging exports.