HONG KONG, Nov. 15 (Xinhuanet) -- Chinese Minister of Culture Sun Jiazheng Monday urged Asian countries and regions to step up cultural exchange and cooperation.

    Speaking at the opening of the Asia Cultural Co-operation Forum(ACCF Sun said Asian countries and regions had a glorious history of cultural cooperation and they should further enhance exchange and cooperation in this regard.

    Enhanced exchange and cooperation would lead to more stability in Asia and contribute to the development of culture internationally, he noted.

    The three-day ACCF 2004, with the theme of "Creative Asia", is the second cultural co-operation forum organized by the Home Affairs Bureau of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region government.

    Patrick Ho, Hong Kong's secretary for home affair, echoed Sun'sopinion. Ho pointed out at the opening of the forum that in response to the challenges brought about by rapid globalization and the advent of the knowledge economy, Asia must form a culturalalliance based on common heritage and good will for regional harmony and prosperity.

    "Only in this way could Asia present itself strongly to the rest of the world," the secretary said, adding "the oriental values we all believe in and the image we present ourselves internationally are the essence of our soft power."

    Ho said creative industries such as fashion and design should be nurtured as they would underpin the region's economies.

    More than 60 cultural ministers and other senior government officials from Indonesia, Japan, the Republic of Korea, Malaysia, The Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam joined renowned personalities in the cultural and creative fields at the ACCF. Enditem