Respected Chairman Wu Bangguo,

Dear Parliamentarians,

Ladies and Gentlemen,

It gives me great pleasure to join you at the Fifth Asia-Europe Parliamentary Partnership Meeting (ASEP V). Over the years, ASEP has made positive contribution to Asia-Europe dialogue and cooperation and the growth of a new type of partnership between Asia and Europe. I am convinced that today's gathering of ASEP parliamentarians and your discussions on major issues concerning Asia-Europe cooperation will enrich and add new vigor to the Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM) process.

To seek peace, development and cooperation is the common desire of people in Asia, Europe and beyond. Politically, both Asia and Europe stand for multilateralism and both are major forces in promoting the healthy development of international relations. Economically, both are witnessing steady growth and our economies have much to offer each another. Culturally, both Asia and Europe enjoy cultural diversity, and the two sides have engaged in dynamic dialogue and exchanges. Both Asian regional cooperation and the European integration process have entered new stages and face opportunities as well as challenges in development. Asia and Europe are more than ever closely interconnected and interdependent, promising broader prospects for Asia-Europe cooperation.

With its development over the past ten years and more, ASEM has established itself as an important channel of dialogue and cooperation between Asia and Europe. It has registered significant progress in the three areas of political dialogue, economic cooperation and social and cultural exchanges. On the political front, ASEM partners have engaged in dialogue on major international and regional issues at various levels to jointly promote multilateralism and strengthen mutual understanding and trust. Economically, they have conducted macro-economic and financial policy dialogues with a view to tapping the enormous growth potential of the two sides, exploring possibilities of further cooperation and promoting sustainable development. Culturally, ASEM partners have advocated cultural diversity, inclusiveness and harmony. They call for mutual respect, understanding, mutual learning and exchanges on an equal footing among different civilizations and cultures while maintaining their respective cultural identities. ASEM has sponsored personnel and academic interactions of various kinds, thus contributing to people-to-people exchanges amongst ASEM partners, particularly exchanges among the youth.

At the same time, ASEM itself has grown in strength, with the number of its partners rising from 26 to 45. Together, they represent 60% of the world's population, over 50% of the world's GDP and some 60% of global trade. As a result, the representativeness and influence of ASEM have significantly increased.

Dear Parliamentarians,

Ladies and Gentlemen,

The Chinese Government attaches importance to the ASEM process. It has actively participated in and promoted the process. China has been represented at each ASEM summit by its premier and advocated the ideas of peace, openness, coordination and development. China has also outlined the fundamental principles on establishing the new Asia-Europe partnership and put forward proposals on strengthening political dialogue and consultation, deepening and upgrading economic and trade relations, increasing environmental and agricultural cooperation, expanding dialogue among different cultures and civilizations and promoting youth exchanges between Asia and Europe. China has initiated and hosted many ministerial-level meetings and other major events covering a wide range of fields such as the environment, culture, science and technology, SMEs, customs, agriculture and justice. China has initiated more ministerial-level meetings than any other partner and has contributed its share to ASEM's policy dialogue and practical cooperation.

China will host the ASEM 7 Summit in Beijing on 24-25 October. It will be the first gathering of leaders of all 45 ASEM partners after its second enlargement. With the theme of "Vision and Action: Towards a Win-Win Solution", the leaders will have in-depth discussions on political, economic, and social and cultural issues, including issues relating to sustainable development. We hope that the summit will enhance the friendship between Asian and European countries, deepen the dialogue on an equal footing and mutually beneficial cooperation between Asia and Europe in various fields and achieve win-win progress for the benefit of the peoples of both Asia and Europe.

I wish to share with you the following observations on promoting the in-depth development of the ASEM process.

First, ASEM should be a channel for its partners to enhance mutual trust and understanding, coordination and cooperation. To adapt to the changing situation and meet the traditional and non-traditional security challenges, ASEM partners should strengthen coordination and cooperation for the promotion of peace and development and the proper settlement of international hot-spot issues and regional disputes and play a bigger and constructive role in international affairs.

Second, ASEM should be an inter-regional platform for comprehensive and practical cooperation in multiple fields. As major stakeholders in globalization, ASEM partners should continue to explore effective and specific means to step up comprehensive exchanges and practical cooperation in economy and trade, finance, science and technology, culture and education. We should move from dialogue to action, deliver tangible benefits to our people and achieve win-win progress.

Third, Asia-Europe cooperation should be an example of harmonious coexistence among countries. The diversity in terms of history, social system, cultural traditions and levels of economic and trade development of Asian and European countries and their complementarities should serve as the basis and the driving force for their exchanges and common progress. ASEM partners should continue to adhere to the principle of mutual respect, equality and mutual benefit, remain open and inclusive and ensure harmonious coexistence.

Ladies and Gentlemen,

ASEP is of great importance to the development of the ASEM process. We hope that through the discussions, you will, with your vision and insight, come up with valuable recommendations to the ASEM 7 Summit and related discussions. In conclusion, I wish ASEP V a great success.

Thank you.