Chinese FM attends 9th ASEM Foreign Ministers' Meeting

Chinese Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi attended the 9th Foreign Ministers' Meeting of the Asia-Europe Meeting in Hanoi on Monday and delivered a speech at the opening ceremony.

Yang said with deepening globalization, the destinies of Asia and Europe have been tied together. Countries must intensify cooperation, deepen mutual trust and build a new and closer Asia-Europe partnership.

To build such a partnership, Yang said countries should enhance mutual understanding through dialogue on an equal footing. Countries should promote development through intensified cooperation. Countries should advocate mutual tolerance through expanded exchanges. Countries should strengthen its institution building to ensure the vitality.

Yang made several suggestions to cope with the ongoing financial and economic crisis and other global challenges.

First, Yang said countries should strengthen confidence and strive for economic recovery and growth. Countries should firmly oppose all forms of protectionism and take concrete steps to help develop countries maintain financial stability and work together to overcome the international financial crisis.

Second, countries should take active measures to counter the threat of A/H1N1 flu and other infectious diseases and minimize the impact of the flu on global trade and economic activities, said Yang.

Third, countries should think for the future, remain committed to the principle of "common but differentiated responsibilities" and step up cooperation in tackling climate change.

Fourth, countries should increase input and foster and follow anew energy security concept that calls for win-win cooperation, diverse forms of development and common security through coordinated supply, said Yang.

Fifth, countries should promote peaceful and negotiated settlement of hotspot issues and regional disputes on the basis of mutual respect, mutual trust and cooperation. The international community should fully respect the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the countries concerned, provide active and constructive help, and avoid willfully applying pressure or sanctions.

Yang said to deal with the international financial crisis, China has adjusted its macro-economic policies and implemented positive fiscal policy and loosened its monetary policy in an appropriate manner.

China has launched a package of measures to expand domestic consumption and stabilize export market and these measures have started to take effect.

As a responsible member of the international community, China will continue to work together with other ASEM members to strengthen coordination in the macro-economic policy, advance the reform of international financial system and actively safeguard the stability of the multi-lateral trade system.

The 9th Foreign Ministers' Meeting of the Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM) opened here on Monday with the participation of foreign ministers and delegates from 45 ASEM members in the two-day meeting.

Vietnamese Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung delivered the opening speech of the meeting.

Source: Xinhua

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