Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao addresses the opening ceremony of the Third Foreign Ministers' Meeting of the Asia Cooperation Dialogue (ACD) in Qingdao, east China's Shandong Province, June 22, 2004.

Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao Tuesday made five proposals for promoting Asian cooperation in the new century, which he said is "both a grand cause full of hopes and an arduous task placed before us."

The five proposals, put forward at the opening ceremony of the third foreign ministers' meeting of the Asian Cooperation Dialogue, are as follows:

-- Asian countries should adhere to the Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence and safeguard peace and stability in Asia.

Development calls for stability while cooperation cannot be achieved without peace. Asian countries should respect the reality of Asia's diversity, carry forward the tradition of Asian cooperation, treat each other candidly and as equals, settle disputes through dialogue and seek security through cooperation.

For those problems left over by history or controversial issues, Asian countries should focus on the larger picture, conduct consultation on an equal footing, and handle them properly through mutual understanding and accommodation. To some of these issues, the principle of "shelving differences and going in for joint development" can be applied.

-- We should let economic cooperation and trade spearhead all-round cooperation in Asia.

Economic cooperation and trade are the core of regional cooperation, therefore it is important to further explore the establishment of regional free trade arrangement and investment protection mechanism. In the meantime, more emphasis should be laid on strengthening: agricultural cooperation to ensure food safety in Asia; energy cooperation to meet the energy needs of Asian development; fiscal and financial cooperation to safeguard financial security in Asia; cooperation in environmental protection to build a "Green Asia" together; cooperation in information industry to narrow the "digital gap"; cooperation in public health to improve disease prevention and control in Asia; and cooperation in education to improve the capacity of Asian citizens.

-- The mechanism for Asian cooperation should be improved on the basis of the existing channels of multilateral cooperation.

A full-fledged mechanism is the platform and guarantee for enhanced regional cooperation. Facts have shown that organizations like Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation, Arab League, ASEAN plus China, Japan and the Republic of Korea and Shanghai Cooperation Organization have played an important role in promoting regional cooperation. Asian countries should attach great importance to and vigorously support these mechanisms in playing their full role.

Meanwhile, Asian countries should strengthen the interaction and coordination among various multilateral cooperation mechanisms so that they will become institutionalized and can work on a regular basis.

-- People-to-people contact should be increased among Asian nations in order to enhance mutual understanding, trust and friendship.

People-to-people contact is an important bond and basis for cooperation between states. Asian countries should vigorously expand our cooperation in tourism and conduct multi-channel and diversified cultural exchanges; initiate and promote friendly exchanges among young people; maximize the positive role of business communities, non-governmental organizations, academic institutions and the media of all countries in promoting Asian cooperation.

-- Asian countries should adhere to the principle of openness, accommodation and tolerance, and take the Asian cooperation to a higher level.

Asian cooperation should not be exclusive, nor should it target against any third party. Asia cannot achieve rejuvenation in separation from the world, and it needs to learn the experience of other countries and regions in development and cooperation. Asian countries should maintain communication and coordination with countries and organizations outside the region, achieve development by opening up to the rest of the world and make progress in global cooperation.

Asia faces historic opportunities to enhance cooperation

Asia is now facing historic opportunities to enhance cooperation and achieve common development, said Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao. Wen based his judgment on the fact:

-- Peace and stability remain the themes of the times, and this is also true in Asia;

-- Economic reform in many Asian countries has further integrated them into economic globalization and regional cooperation;

-- Asia enjoys rich natural resources, abundant workforce, vast market and huge potentials in regional economic cooperation;

-- Asian countries generally value family, education, hard work and thrifty, and such shared philosophy has reinforced the inherent drive for regional cooperation; and

-- Through years of efforts, regional and sub-regional cooperation in Asia has made new and steady headway, featuring robust regional dialogue and mutually beneficial cooperation.

"All these factors have laid a solid foundation for even more extensive and advanced cooperation among Asian countries," said Wen, who also urged Asian people to be aware of the difficulties and challenges in Asian cooperation.

"The region is faced with many problems left over by history, and certain hotspot issues are yet to be addressed properly. The uneven economic and social development of Asian countries has limited the potential role of regional cooperation, and there is not enough rational and orderly intra-regional flow of goods, capital, technology and personnel," he said.

Wen called for more efforts for Asian regional cooperation to develop both in magnitude and scope and in mechanism building. He said in the wave of economic globalization and regional integration, carrying out regional cooperation and development is just like sailing against the current.

"We must continuously forge ahead or we'll be swept downstream," he said. "Only by strengthening cooperation, can we Asian countries all share the opportunities; only by working together like crossing a river in the same boat, can we be strong enough to conquer all difficulties; and only by uniting our strengths, can we remain invincible in the fierce global competition," Wen said.