BEIJING, Oct. 24 (Xinhua) -- The Asia-Europe Meeting
(ASEM) summit concluded its first closed session here Friday evening, with the
global financial crisis topping the agenda.
Leaders and representatives of the 45 ASEM members
attended the meeting which lasted two hours.
Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao chaired the meeting and
made the leading speech.
Wen called on Asian and European nations to make
concerted effort in response to the global financial crisis triggered by the
U.S. credit crunch, according to the Chinese Foreign Ministry.
Wen said the international financial and economic
situation is an issue linked up with the direct interests of all ASEM members,
and that is why the issue was listed the top subject for discussion.
"Asian and European nations are an important force to
safeguard international financial stability and promote world economic growth,"
Wen said. "We should make concerted effort to show the world our confidence,
unity and cooperation," he added.
He said relevant countries and organizations have
taken measures in response to the global financial crisis, and China hopes these
measures would achieve the desired results soon.
He also called for global action to jointly respond
to the crisis.
The leaders present at the meeting had an
"enthusiastic and in-depth" discussion on how to tackle the crisis, as well as
how to promote Asia-Europe trade and investment, the Foreign Ministry said,
giving no further details.
The seventh ASEM summit, scheduled for Friday and
Saturday, will all together have four closed sessions.
BEIJING, Oct. 24 (Xinhua) -- Following is the full text of
the Statement of the Seventh Asia-Europe Meeting on the International Financial
Situation issued here Friday.
Statement of the Seventh Asia-Europe Meeting on the
International Financial Situation
Beijing, 24 October 2008
1. Leaders attending the Seventh Asia-Europe Meeting had
an in-depth discussion on the current international economic and financial
situation and its trend of development. They expressed concern over the impact
of the spreading international financial crisis on the global economy and in
particular, the severe challenges it poses to financial stability and economic
development of countries in Asia and Europe. Full story
