Mr. Chairman,

Dear Colleagues,

I am delighted to meet you again in Kyoto in May. I wish to thank our Japanese host for their thoughtful arrangement and warm reception.

Currently, the international situation continues to undergo profound changes. On the one hand, peace, development and cooperation are the trend of the times. The tortuous journey towards a multi-polar world, the deepening of economic globalization and the rapid advancement of science and technology has brought about unprecedented opportunities for countries to accelerate their development. On the other hand, however, traditional and non-traditional security threats are interwoven; terrorism, regional conflicts, cross-border crimes run as rampant as ever; environmental degradation, natural disasters and the spread of diseases pose a grave threat and the uneven economic development has further widened the gap between the North and the South. Peace and development are under severe challenge in both Asia and Europe and in the world at large.

In face of the common challenges, Asia and Europe have made a common choice. The ASEM Declaration on Multilateralism issued at the Foreign Ministers' Meeting last year crystallizes the Asia-Europe consensus on stronger international cooperation. All parties in Asia and Europe are supportive of multilateralism as the way to resolve international disputes, promote benign globalization, democratize international relations and meet mankind's common challenges. Since our last meeting, Asia and Europe have further broadened our consensus on multilateralism and made fresh progress in cooperation.

Since the United Nations, which is at the core of multilateral institutions, offers an important platform to practice multilateralism, its role is irreplaceable. The UN will celebrate its 60th birthday this year. It is important that we seize this opportunity and firmly safeguard UN's central role in international affairs and defend the authority of the UN Charter to turn this international organization into a platform for the equal participation of all countries in the management of globalization and for the promotion of democratic and law-based international relations.

Given the great changes in the international situation, the UN needs to keep pace with the times and introduce necessary and rational reforms to enhance its capacity to cope with new threats and challenges. It is our view that the UN's reform should be all-dimensional and across the board. It should move forward in a gradual and orderly manner. In this process, democracy should be brought into full play to enable all countries to take part in the deliberations on an equal footing and take decisions by consensus so that the concerns of all member states, the developing ones in particular, could be fully addressed. The key to the success of the UN reform is whether progress can be made in the field of development. We should focus on how to ensure a bigger say of the developing countries in UN affairs, how to increase the UN's input in development and how to effectively implement the Millennium Development Goals.

Mr. Chairman,

Peace and security are the preconditions for development. To address security issues, a security doctrine of mutual trust, mutual benefit, equality and collaboration should be introduced. All countries need to enhance mutual trust through dialogue, seek peaceful solution to disputes through negotiations and promote development through cooperation.

Development safeguards peace and stability. Under the umbrella of ASEM, we have the world's most vibrant regional economy and the most highly integrated developed economies. Currently, Asian economies have generally continued to grow steadily and regional cooperation has picked up pace. An enlarged EU continues to make heartening progress in integration. We should make full use of the ASEM platform to further increase dialogue and cooperation, facilitate North-South dialogue and South-South cooperation, earnestly implement the MDGs, and work together to promote stability, prosperity and development in Asia and Europe.

ASEM partners should use the occasion of the UN's 60th anniversary to bring about substantive progress in international development cooperation. As important members of the multilateral trading regime, we need to encourage all parties to demonstrate greater political wisdom and courage to strive for positive results at the Sixth Ministerial Conference of the WTO to be held in Hong Kong this December so that the Doha Development Agenda can produce a balanced and win-win result, contributing to the stable and sustained development of the world economy.

Given the current international situation, it is both relevant and important to respect cultural diversity and encourage dialogue between different civilizations. In this regard, Asia and Europe have much in common and play a prominent role in facilitating inter-civilization dialogue. Last year, The Fifth ASEM Summit issued the ASEM Declaration on Dialogue among Cultures and Civilizations. This year, a series of follow-up actions will be taken under the cultural pillar. ASEM needs to promote equal-footed dialogue, mutual accommodation and coexistence between civilizations and their common development and prosperity through increased cultural exchanges with a view to building a world of harmony.

Mr. Chairman,

ASEM witnessed its first enlargement last year at the Hanoi Summit, further broadening its horizons. With political will already in place, what is important is to take an action-oriented approach in materializing the objectives and principles set at the Summits and advance cooperation under all pillars in a balanced manner. Politically, we should work together to advance multilateralism, safeguard the authority of the UN and promote world peace and stability. Economically, we should promote sustainable development through enhancing technological exchanges and capacity building for mutually beneficial and win-win cooperation. Culturally, we should advocate tolerance and harmony and keep up the sound momentum of dialogue among civilizations and exchanges between cultures. To adapt to the changes in the situation and its enlargement, ASEM needs to introduce proper reform to improve efficiency in dialogue and cooperation and maintain its vigor and vitality. To support the ASEM process, the Chinese Government is willing to host the Seventh ASEM Summit in 2008. We will join other members in a concerted effort to facilitate dialogue and cooperation between Asia and Europe and promote peace and development in the world.

Thank you.