BEIJING, Sept. 11 -- Asia-Europe Meeting has started
in the capital, Helsinki. Premier Wen Jiabao put forward China's views to step
up cooperation, while leaders from 38 countries underlined multilateralism in
tackling security threats.
Premier Wen Jiabao and leaders from ten ASEAN
countries, South Korea, Japan, and twenty-five EU member states attended the
opening session of the summit. European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso
was also there.
The
leaders debated how to respond to global challenges. They vowed to make full use
of the ASEM mechanism to enhance cooperation between Europe and Asia.
The Chinese Premier delivered at the meeting a speech
entitled Deeper Asia-Europe Cooperation to Jointly Meet Challenges, in which he
presented an eight-point proposal:
Enhancing political dialogue to better respond to
security threats;
Deepening cultural exchanges to promote harmonious
co-existence;
Intensifying financial cooperation to promote
balanced economic development;
Expanding dialogue and cooperation to ensure energy
security;
Supporting the multilateral trading system to achieve
common development;
Encouraging business participation and expanding
channels of cooperation;
Addressing non-traditional security issues;
Narrowing the urban-rural gap to realize balanced
economic development.
At the end of the speech, Premier Wen Jiabao
elaborated China's policy on economic, defense and anti-terrorism issues,
pledging that China will continue to develop friendly relations and cooperation
with Asian and European partners, as well as other countries, and work with them
to build a world of harmony, durable peace and common prosperity.
In closed-door talks, the leaders noted that the
fight against transnational terrorism requires a multilateral approach and
international cooperation.
They voiced strong supported for a rule-based
multilateral system with the UN at its center.
The leaders stressed that commitment to promote peace
and security, sustainable development and human rights, in accordance with the
UN Charter and international law, is still one of the most importance guiding
principles of the ASEM partnership.
The leaders furthermore pointed out the importance of
achieving the Millennium Development Goals, concentrating especially on poverty
reduction.
(Source: CCTV.com)
