Hu Jintao sets agenda for Asian cooperation
13 April, 2008
BEIJING: Chinese President Hu Jintao on Saturday made a five-point proposal for the Asian countries to increase cooperation.
Addressing the opening ceremony of the Boao Forum for Asia (BFA) annual conference, President Hu said Asia remained one of the world`s most dynamic regions while it also faced some challenges.
To realise lasting peace and common prosperity in Asia is a long-term and arduous task, he said.
To achieve this goal, he called on the Asian countries to take the following steps:
--First, enhance political mutual trust. We should seek common ground and shelve differences and live in harmony on the basis of mutual respect and equality. We should resolve disputes and differences through dialogue and consultation. We should respect each other`s security concerns, follow the new thinking on security featuring mutual trust, mutual benefit, equality and coordination, promote the development of regional security mechanism, and work together to address security threats and maintain peace and stability in the region.
--Second, deepen economic cooperation. We should promote regional free trade arrangements and investment facilitation mechanisms, deepen fiscal and financial cooperation and enhance infrastructure interconnectivity across Asia. The Asian countries should strengthen coordination of macro-economic policies and jointly uphold financial, energy and food security. We should step up cooperation in poverty alleviation and human resources development, narrow gaps in development and promote common development and prosperity in the region.
--Third, meet challenges together. We should oppose terrorism in all manifestations and strengthen cooperation in counter-terrorism and non-proliferation. We should join hands to fight transnational crimes, illegal immigration, and drug trafficking. We should increase cooperation in disaster prevention and reduction and public health. We should strengthen capacity for tackling climate change and promote exchange and cooperation in environmental protection and the proper use of water resources in a joint effort to foster a conservation culture in Asia.
--Fourth, increase cultural and people-to-people exchanges. We should carry out cultural exchanges of diverse forms and strengthen dialogue among different civilizations and promote contact and cooperation among parliaments, non-governmental organizations, academic institutions and the media of the Asian countries. Youth exchanges should also be strengthened to increase mutual understanding among the young people. And we should work together to ensure the dynamic growth of the Asian culture.
--Fifth, keep to the policy of openness. Regional cooperation should remain non-exclusive. We should draw on the development practices of other regions and use platforms such as the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation, Asia-Europe Meeting, Forum for East Asia and Latin America Cooperation, and Asia-Middle East Dialogue to enhance dialogue and cooperation with other regions and achieve common progress through extensive exchanges and cooperation with the rest of the world.
The 7th edition of BFA, annually held in Boao of south China`s island province of Hainan, since it was established in 2001, provides a platform for high-level interaction between leaders from Asia and the world.
Meanwhile, President Pervez Musharraf called for closer global cooperation to make lives better for the world through sustainable economic and social development.
Addressing the Boao Forum for Asia (BFA) 2008 Annual Conference in south China`s island province of Hainan on Saturday, Musharraf proposed the establishment of a mechanism for Asian countries to exchange experiences in environmental protection and development under the framework of the forum.
He called for the creation of a platform so that energy-saving and water-saving information and technologies were available free to developing countries.
Musharraf said global cooperation was needed for Asia to tackle poverty, environmental degradation and other problems facing the region.
Nearly 2 billion Asians are so poor that their daily living expense does not exceed 2 US dollars, excessive urbanization had resulted in environmental degradation and higher incidence of natural disasters, he said.
He also cited growing global demand for energy as a problem, which required international cooperation to ensure energy security.
About 70 per cent of the new energy demand was from developing countries, including those in Asia, yet the world could not rely merely on fossil-fuel energy for the arduous task of sustainable social and economic development, Musharraf told the forum, which is themed "Green Asia: moving towards win-win through changes" this year.
He said Asia needed new policies, measures and systematic changes to realize the theme so as to leave a sustainable environment for future generations.
Later, Chinese President Hu Jintao hosted a grand banquet in honour of the heads of state and governments who are here to attend the annual Boao Forum for Asia.
Apart from President Pervez Musharraf who was one of the keynote speakers at the inauguration, the dinner was attended by Prime Minister of Australia Kevin Michael Rudd, President of Chile Michelle Jeria Bachelet, Prime Minister of Kazakhstan Karim K Massimov, President of Mongolia Nambar Enkhbayar, Prime Minister of Qatar Hamad Bin Jassim Bin Jabor AL-Thani, President of Sri Lanka Mahinda Raiapaksa, Prime Minister of Sweden Fredrik Reinfeldt, President of Tanzania Jakaya Mrisho Kikwete E, King of Tonga Siaosi Tupou besides former President of the Philippines Fidel V Ramos.
Former Prime Minister of Australia Bob Hawke, former Vice Chairman, China People`s Political Consultative Conference Chen Jinhua, former US Secretary of State General Colin L Powell and former Prime Minister of Kazakhstan Sergey Terechshenko also attended the event that was followed by a spectacular fireworks display and a gala show.
Around 250 government officials, 750 entrepreneurs, 680 journalists and 50 experts and scholars are in picturesque Hainan city to attend the moot.
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