Foreign and Military Affairs

Wen calls for advancing Asia-Europe cooperation

(Xinhua)
Updated: 2010-10-05 14:47

BRUSSELS - Premier Wen Jiabao who arrived in Brussels on Monday delivered a speech at the opening ceremony of the eighth Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM) Summit, calling for advancing Asia-Europe cooperation from a strategic and long-term perspective.

He said "with the joining of Australia, New Zealand and Russia, ASEM partners have formed a close-knit community of interests, covering the entire Eurasian continent from east to west."

Premier Wen made a five-point proposal in which he said the ASEM partners must work together to promote world economic growth.

"We should intensify macroeconomic policy coordination, manage with caution the timing and pace of an exit strategy from economic stimulus, and keep the exchange rates of major reserve currencies relatively stable," he said.

ASEM partners must work together to reform the international economic and financial systems, the premier noted.

"Global economic governance reform is of fundamental importance in overcoming the financial crisis and we must explore ways to establish a more effective global economic governance system," he said.

The premier also said ASEM partners must work together to address global challenges, pointing out that "we must make concerted efforts to meet the climate challenge under the principle of common but differentiated responsibilities."

ASEM partners must work together to facilitate exchanges and mutual learning among civilizations, the premier stressed, calling the ASEM nations to embrace diversity in civilizations and religious beliefs and respect their differences.

ASEM partners must work together to uphold peace and stability in Asia and Europe, the premier said, urging ASEM countries to "adhere to the purposes and principles of the Charter of the United Nations, intensify political interactions and strategic coordination, and enhance mutual understanding and trust."

On the sidelines of the summit, Wen met with French President Nicolas Sarkozy, saying China expected France to take new steps in pushing the European Union (EU) for positive policies toward China.

Wen said he hoped the two countries could expand cooperation in such areas as trade, investment, high-tech and energy on the basis of mutual respect and equality.

He also expected the two sides to conduct close coordination within multilateral mechanisms like the UN and the Group of 20 for building a comprehensive strategic partnership.

Premier Wen Jiabao also met with Japanese Prime Minister Naoto Kan, reiterating that the Diaoyu Islands are an inherent part of the Chinese territory.

"The Diaoyu Islands have been Chinese territory since ancient times," Wen said.

He pointed out that it serves the fundamental interests of both countries and peoples to protect and advance the China-Japan strategic relationship of mutual benefit.

The two sides agreed to step up people-to-people exchanges and intergovernmental communications and hold a high-level meeting at an appropriate time.

China-Japan relations have been soured recently after the Japanese Coast Guard illegally seized a Chinese fishing boat and detained the fishermen on September 8 in waters off the Diaoyu Islands in the East China Sea. Japanese authorities insisted on performing a so-called domestic judicial procedure against the fishermen despite strong protests from the Chinese government and public. The fishermen and the boat were brought home later.

Wen arrived in Brussels for the ASEM after concluding his visit in Greece earlier in the day. He is also to attend the a China-EU summit in Brussels and then continue his four-nation visit which will also take him to Italy and Turkey.