Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao made four proposals Saturday at the
5th Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM) to further strengthen comprehensive
Asia-Europe cooperation and deepen partnership so as to jointly
contribute to world peace, development and progress.
Asia and Europe should strengthen political mutual trust through
dialogue and consultation, Wen said.
Against the backdrop of a complex international situation, it
serves the common interests of Asia and Europe to foster a
favorable regional as well as international security environment,
he said.
"We need to establish and improve dialogue and consultation
mechanisms at various levels, strive to enhance mutual
understanding and trust, increase sharing of experience and policy
dialogues on regional cooperation, and have closer coordination in
various multilateral forums including the United Nations in a joint
endeavor to put in place a fair and rational new international
political and economic order," the Chinese premier said.
"We need to uphold the purposes and principles of the UN
Charter, support necessary and reasonable reforms of the United
Nations, help it strengthen its authority in handling international
affairs and enhance its capacity to respond to threats and
challenges."
"We need to carry out cooperation within the framework of ASEM,
fend off and fight terrorism in all its manifestations and
effectively counter such non-traditional security threats as
weapons proliferation, illegal migration, cross-border crimes and
HIV/AIDS," he stressed.
Asia and Europe should increase economic exchanges and promote
regional economic growth and common prosperity, Wen said.
"We need to make the best use of ASEM's existing dialogue
mechanisms, commit ourselves to open regionalism and increase the
sharing of experience on regional economic integration."
"In the new round of multilateral trade negotiations, we need to
have close consultation and coordination and push for an early and
smooth completion of the Doha Agenda with a balance of interests of
various parties. We need to deepen our cooperation within the
framework of the ASEM Trade Facilitation Action Plan and ASEM
Investment Promotion Action Plan, and remain committed to removing
trade barriers and improving the investment climate," Wen
noted.
"We need to give full play to the role of the Asia-Europe
Business Forum, strengthen government-business interaction and
communication and vigorously develop economic ties and trade. We
need to promote cooperation between small and medium sized
enterprises, explore new business opportunities and facilitate
two-way trade and investment."
Thirdly, Wen said, Asia and Europe should open new horizons for
cooperation and promote coordinated economic and social development
in various countries.
Given Asian and European countries' uneven development levels,
ASEM needs to actively carry out technical assistance and capacity
building projects to narrow the development gap among ASEM members,
the Chinese premier said.
"In such areas as poverty reduction, social development,
restructuring and public health, we need to give more support to
the developing members in this region, particularly the poor, to
help them meet the UN's Millennium Development Goals."
"At the same time, we need to give more substance to our
financial cooperation and support the development of the Asian Bond
Market. We need to vigorously conduct policy dialogue and
information sharing on sustainable development and press ahead with
our scientific and technological cooperation in forest protection
and water management," he said.
"We need to deepen our mutually beneficial cooperation in higher
education and human resources development. In this way, a
multi-tiered, multi-formed and wide-ranging Asia-Europe cooperation
framework will gradually take shape."
The two sides should actively conduct dialogues among
civilizations and exchanges among cultures and respect and preserve
cultural diversity, Wen stressed.
As cultural diversity is a valuable asset of human civilization,
exchanges among cultures offer an effective way to promote human
progress, the Chinese premier said.
"We need to encourage different civilizations to treat each
other as equals, co-exist in harmony and amity, draw upon each
other's strength to make up for one's own deficiency through
dialogue and exchanges and seek common ground while reserving
differences," Wen added.
(Xinhua News Agency October 10, 2004)