Special Report: The 7th Asia-Europe Meeting Summit    

    By He Miao, Wu Ping 　

    STOCKHOLM, Oct. 23 (Xinhua) -- The forthcoming 7th Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM) will bring about a firmer and broader relationship between Asia and Europe, Finnish President Tarja Halonen told Xinhua in a recent exclusive interview.

    It is of great importance to note that the Asia-Europe partnership will be widened to new fields that had not been covered by previous ASEM meetings, said the president, a few days prior to the 7th ASEM gathering scheduled for Oct. 24-25 in Beijing.

    "A good example is the Chinese initiative on an ASEM Eco-City Network," which is co-sponsored by Finland, she said.

    Halonen said she has a lot of good personal memories on previous ASEM meetings. As early as in 1996, she participated in the very first meeting in Bangkok as Finnish foreign minister.

    Now 12 years have passed, ASEM has become a key forum for cooperation and dialogue between Asian and European countries, said Halonen, noting the value of its mechanism has been proven and it gives all participants an important stage for exchanging views.

    "Countries participating in this summit now account for about 60 percent of the world's population and 60 percent of the world's trade. New bi-regional initiatives and partnerships evolving under the ASEM framework are increasing both in number and scope. We should rightly be satisfied with how far we have come," said Halonen.

    She said ASEM's open and evolutionary character is well suited to the strengthening of common goals, be it in the field of economic relations, environment or social development.

    The 6th ASEM summit, which was held in Finland two years ago, adopted a series of documents aimed at strengthening Asia-Europe cooperation and led to a significant enlargement of the bloc, she said.

    The enlargement shows that ASEM enjoys a dynamic mechanism and continues to attract new partners, said the Finnish leader.

    Remarkable progress has been achieved since the Helsinki summit, she said. "Arrangements to facilitate free trade and investments between the European Union and Asian partners are being developed. Within the ASEM framework our business communities have an opportunity to meet in their own summit," she said.

    Halonen also emphasized that the present global financial crisis will be discussed during the upcoming Beijing summit.

    Noting that "concerted action is necessary," she hoped that "we will be able to give substantial impetus to these discussions this time."

    On the China-Finland relationship, Halonen credited it as "long-standing and excellent."

    "We have extensive contacts at all levels starting from state leaders down to ordinary citizens. We are able to have mutually beneficial dialogue on all kinds of issues," she said.

    "China is one of Finland's most important economic partners, and we want to expand cooperation particularly in fields which we have common challenges to tackle, such as climate change and environment," the president said.