Chinese Foreign Minister Tang Jiaxuan on Wednesday elaborated China's positions on the cooperation within Asia at a regional meeting in Cha-am, 170 kilometers south of Bangkok, pointing out that economic development is the major concern for Asian nations.
"Currently, multilateral dialogues and cooperation in various forms are very active in Asia, which helps to enhance the region's stability and development," he said at the first Asian Cooperation Dialogue (ACD) meeting being held here between June 18 and 19.
"The Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SOC), the Association of Southeast Asian Nations Plus Three (ASEAN plus China, Japan and South Korea) and other regional mechanisms have formed networks of trust and cooperation among Asian nations in different areas," Tang said.
The ACD meeting, initiated and hosted by the Thai government will serve as a new platform for cooperation between East Asia and South Asia, he said.
"China supports the ACD concept for a pan-Asia cooperation and 'collective win', and believes it is a common ideal for all Asian people," said Tang.
However, he pointed out that due to the wide diversity of Asian sub-regions in economic, cultural and other areas, the ACD, in its preliminary stage, should first forge cooperation in some specific areas and take a 'step-by-step' procedure.
The ACD meeting is attended by foreign ministers from Bahrain, Bangladesh, Cambodia, China, Japan, South Korea, Laos, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam. Brunei, India, Indonesia, Pakistan and Qatar are represented by other ministers.
Thai Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra made an opening address at the meeting here Wednesday morning, which was followed by an exchange of views on Asia's cooperation among 17 ministers attending the event.
Asian Ministers Agree to Promote More Dialogues, Cooperation
Foreign ministers and ministerial-level officials from 17 Asian countries Wednesday concluded the two-day first-ever pan-continental meeting in Cha-am, agreeing to promote more dialogues and cooperation for regional stability and prosperity.
"The ministers identified a wide range of areas of cooperation at the meeting, such as poverty-alleviation, human resources development, bridging the 'digital divide', science and technology, promotion of Asian culture and tourism and development of the small and medium-sized enterprises," Thai Foreign Minister Surakiart Sathirathai told a press conference after the meeting.
The firs Asian Cooperation Dialogue (ACD) meeting, initiated and hosted by Thailand, is attended by foreign ministers from Bahrain, Bangladesh, Cambodia, China, Japan, South Korea, Laos, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam. Brunei, India, Indonesia, Pakistan and Qatar are represented by other ministers.
Surakiart said the ministers felt that the core of the ACD is its "dialogue" component while agreeing that participation of the ACD should be on an inclusive basis and be open to all Asian countries interested in it.
He said during the two-day meeting, 17 Asian ministers endorsed that the ACD initiative can serve as the "missing link" to bring together all existing regional and sub-regional groupings in Asia, such as the Association of Southeast Asian Nations Plus Three (China, Japan and South Korea) and the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC).
Surakiart noted the major focus of the ACD is economic cooperation while political issues and bilateral conflicts are to be largely avoided at the forum.
"However, the ACD will try to create a cooperative atmosphere in which the conflicts are easier to be solved," he said.
Thai Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra who masterminded the ACD idea, said he hoped all the 17 countries to continue the already-started pan-regional process, which he said will eventually enhance Asia's collective bargaining power in international economic arena.
According to a statement released after the event, Thailand, the initiator of the ACD concept, will continue to act as the ACD coordinator for another year.
The next ACD meet is scheduled in Thailand's northmost province of Chiang Rai, in June 2003.
( June 20, 2002)
