Renowned politicians, entrepreneurs, scholars and cultural
personages from China, South Korea and Japan Monday called for
strengthening regional cooperation and promoting common prosperity
and stability in Northeast Asia.
The call was made in Tokyo at the second Forum of Northeast
Asian Prominent Figures, which was initiated by China's Xinhua News
Agency, ROK's JoongAng Daily and Japan's Nikkei Inc. The annual
forum, aimed at strengthening non-governmental exchanges, was first
held last year in Seoul.
Japan's former Prime Minister Yasuhiro Nakasone urged the region
to construct East Asia community based on the Association of
Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and "boost cooperation on energy,
resources, anti-terrorism, prevention of infectious diseases and
other fields."
"Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao's 'ice-thawing' visit to Japan last
week has achieved its goal," Nakasone said. "The ice has melted and
I hope the water can turn warmer and flow through the three
nations," Nakasone said at the forum.
Qian Qichen, China's former vice prime minister said in a
speech, which was read by Xinhua's vice president Ma Shengrong on
his behalf, that the three countries should maintain regional peace
and stability together and boost mutual political trust, trade and
economic cooperation and grassroots exchanges.
"Friendship and cooperation between the three countries will
definitely go further through common efforts," Qian said.
"South Korea, China and Japan are close neighbors with a long
history of exchanges," South Korean former Prime Minister Lee
Hong-koo said, noting that exchanges and trade between the three
countries have developed rapidly in the past two decades.
Lee said that the three countries are playing an even more
important role in the international society and are actively
contributing to the establishment of a new world order.
Among some 30 delegates from the three countries who attended
the second forum are universities presidents, researchers, writers,
leaders of enterprises such Japan's Toshiba, Toyota, China's
HaierGroup, South Korea's Samsung.
The delegates will also conduct group discussions under topics
including currencies, finance, and economic integration, energy and
environmental protection, as well as cultural and grassroot
exchanges.
(Xinhua News Agency April 16, 2007)
