On June 21, 2004, Foreign Minister Li Zhaoxing met in Qingdao respectively with his counterparts of 9 countries: Foreign Minister of Singapore Jayakumar, Cambodian Minister of State and Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation Hor Namhong, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Thailand Surakiart Sathirathai, Indian Foreign Minister Singh, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs of Bahrain Muhammed, Foreign Minister of Oman Alawi, Pakistan Foreign Minister Kasuri, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade Ban Ki-moon and Japanese Foreign Minister Yoriko Kawaguchi. The foreign ministers are in Qingdao for the Third Foreign Ministers' Meeting of the Asia Cooperation Dialogue (ACD).

Li Zhaoxing said that the ACD is a new inter-governmental cooperation mechanism oriented towards the whole of Asia and therefore reflects the will of Asian countries to enhance cooperation. Since its establishment in 2002, the ACD has been faring well and conducted cooperation in many areas, and at the same time promoted the formation of the awareness that Asia is a whole. Li Zhaoxing expressed appreciation for the active contributions that the 9 countries have made to promote cooperation in various areas within the framework of the ACD. He said that as host of this foreign ministers' meeting, China stands ready to make joint efforts with all parties to push the meeting for new achievements.

Li Zhaoxing said that China would like to develop good-neighborly and friendly relations with the 9 countries on the basis of the Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence and expand and deepen cooperation with them in various areas, such as political affairs, economy, trade and culture.

Li Zhaoxing also expounded the principled stance of the Chinese government on the Taiwan issue and expressed thanks to the 9 countries for their firm support for China on the issue.

Foreign Minister of Singapore Jayakumar and some other foreign ministers thanked China for the large amount of work that China has done for the convening of the Third Foreign Ministers' Meeting of the ACD and expressed their belief that the meeting would be a great success. The foreign ministers said that they would work together with China to make every effort to make the meeting successful. They said that China's proposal of adopting an Asia Cooperation Declaration and Qingdao Initiative is very important and they agreed to all the content of the two documents.

The foreign ministers expressed high appreciation for China's active role in Asian regional cooperation and willingness to strengthen mutually beneficial cooperation with China so as to deepen the comprehensive development of relations with China.

The foreign ministers said that they support the principled stance of China on the Taiwan issue, adhere to the one-China policy and oppose "Taiwan independence". Li Zhaoxing also exchanged views with the foreign ministers of the 9 countries on international and regional issues of common interest.