Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi (C) attends the 13th foreign ministers' meeting of the Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM), in Nay Pyi Taw, Myanmar, on Nov. 20, 2017. (Xinhua/U Aung)
Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi on Monday called for jointly building a new type of Asia-Europe partnership at the 13th foreign ministers' meeting of the Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM) in the Myanmar capital.
Wang said at first plenary session of the ASEM foreign ministers' meeting that the Communist Party of China successfully held its 19th National Congress last month, mapping out a grand blueprint for the development of China in the next 30 years.
Noting that China has entered a new era which will see the country foster closer connections with the world, Wang said China will continue to cooperate closely with all parties in Asia and Europe, and jointly strive for a brighter future.
The Chinese top diplomat urged concerted efforts to uphold regional peace and stability, saying that traditional and non-traditional security challenges are relatively concentrated in Asia and Europe.
Safeguarding regional peace and stability is the prerequisite for achieving development and prosperity and also the shared responsibility of all parties in Asia and Europe, he said.
Wang noted that mutual respect should be upheld and countries, big or small, are equal, adding that disputes should be resolved through dialogue and differences addressed through consultations.
The Chinese foreign minister also called on Asian and European countries to join hands to tap new growth drivers.
While the European economies are in the process of self healing, Asian economies, especially those of the developing countries, are full of vitality and have become the main engine of global economic growth, Wang said.
The recovery of the world economy calls for joint efforts by Asian and Europan countries to tap new growth points and cooperation between the two sides to create new momentum for development, he said.
To this end, Wang urged Asian and European countries to clearly voice support for multilateral trade system and oppose protectionism in all forms so as to press for liberalization and facilitation of trade and investment as well as economic globalization which is open, inclusive, reciprocal, balanced and win-win.
The Chinese foreign minister proposed that Asian and Europe countries work together to explore sustainable governance models.
Many countries have gained experiences in poverty reduction, pollution treatment, corruption fighting and inclusiveness promotion, and both Asian and European countries, while learning from each other, should follow the paths of development that suit their own national conditions, Wang said.
The ASEM foreign ministers' meeting should serve as a platform for the two sides to exchange experiences on governance and break development bottlenecks.
China has always been an advocate and promoter of Asian-European pragmatic cooperation, Wang said, noting that in 2018, China will hold a series of activities with other Asian-European countries in the fields of connectivity, nuclear power safety and urban water resource management, among others.
