Chinese FM calls for closer strategic communication in Asia

Myanmar Foreign Minister U Wunna Maung Lwin (R) shakes hands with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi in Nay Pyi Taw, Myanmar, Aug. 11, 2014. (Xinhua/U Aung)

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi called on Asian countries to promote strategic communication to build up mutual trust and strive for common development by enhancing regional cooperation.

Addressing Foreign Ministers' Meeting of the East Asia Summit (EAS) here Sunday, Wang Yi noted that the EAS has gained greater influence and played a bigger role in promoting strategic dialogues among members and cooperation in six key areas, namely energy, environmental protection, finance, education, public health, disaster management and connectivity.

He said that as 2015 marks the 10th anniversary of the EAS, countries in the region should take a forward-looking attitude and seize the opportunity to push for greater achievements of the EAS.

The Chinese foreign minister urged EAS members to adhere to EAS ' nature as a leaders-led strategic forum and conduct open-minded exchange of views on strategic issues that are of regional and global influence on an equal footing, seek for consensus, mutual understanding and mutual trust, so as to make positive contributions to regional peace, stability and development.

He reiterated China's support for ASEAN's centrality, and its leading role in East Asia cooperation, as well as its efforts in building communities of political, security, economy, society and culture as planned,

Wang Yi also stressed the need to promote cooperation in development, stick fast to the theme of development, work to narrow down development disparities between countries in the region and strive for common development.

"We need to uphold peace and stability, respect the social system and development approach independently chosen by each and every country, oppose external interference and use of sanctions at every turn," he said, adding that attention should be paid to increasing cooperation against non-traditional security threats, such as natural disasters, terrorism and cross-border crimes.

Wang Yi said that China attaches importance to practical cooperation in the following key areas and other aspects of the EAS:

--the Summit will serve as a boost to regional integrity, rally efforts to build the Silk Road Economic Belt and the 21st Century Maritime Silk Road, promote infrastructure connectivity, upgrade economic cooperation and trade, and expand industrial investment and financial cooperation.

--the Summit will accelerate the realization of regional free trade, move forward the process of negotiations on Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP), Trans-pacific Economic Partnership (TPP) and Free Trade Area of the Asia-Pacific (FTAAP), and ensure that these free trade arrangements will run in parallel as a complementary to each other.

-- the Summit will help increase cooperation in non-traditional security fields, such as climate change, disaster management and campaigns against the smuggling of wild-life.

--the Summit should facilitate discussions on the security architecture of the region. China upholds the Asian security concept, featuring common, comprehensive, cooperative and sustainable security.

--the Summit will help step up non-governmental communication between think tanks. China is ready to join other countries in improving the think tank network and strengthening the connection between the Boao Forum for Asia and the EAS.

Participants at the meeting agreed that the EAS has enhanced dialogue and mutual trust of the region and promoted cooperation in the six key areas, and delivered tangible benefits to people of all countries.

They expressed the wish that all parties would seize the opportunity to rise up to challenges, take concrete steps to implement agreements reached and proposals initiated and carry forward cooperation so as to make the EAS a greater contributor to regional peace, development and stability.