The Seventh Asia Europe Meeting (ASEM 7) which was concluded on Oct 25 has attracted the attention from both international media and experts. The public opinion shows that participants and leaders from member countries have reached agreement on combating current global financial crisis, and revealed their profound desire to change the current world financial order. All participants expressed their willingness to cooperate and their determination to handle the economic downturn, which will further promote the image of Asia-Europe cooperation.
The importance of the ASEM can not be underestimated. The Summit was the first time for leaders of 45 member countries to meet since its second round of enlargement in 2006. ASEM member countries accounted for 50 percent of the world's Gross Domestic Product (GNP), 58 percent of global population and 60 percent of the world's total trade volume.
As the international financial crisis further spreads, many European countries are greatly affected and they face the threats of economic slowdown and recessions. Some of them, which used to pay little attention to ASEM, changed their attitude, and hope to strengthen cooperation and work out a solution to handle the crisis with Asian countries through the summit. That is why the summit was attended by ten heads of state, 26 heads of government as well as representatives from regional organizations, the highest attendance ever.
The summit, with a series of major achievements which is said to be of strategic importance, has lived up to the expectations of international community and member countries.
Participants held symposium on international financial crisis, and they reached a series of consensus and unanimously passed the consensus on global financial situation during the two-day meeting. The consensus demonstrated the determination of member countries to handle the economic turmoil and help to regain confidence in the global market.
Secondly, the summit helped to deepen mutual understanding among member countries, and participants called for joint effort to achieve common development. Currently, Asian and European countries are facing similar problems of sustainable development such as energy and grain safety, climate change as well as environmental protection, which can not be solved by any individual country or region.
Beijing Declaration on Sustainable Development reached in the summit was an embodiment of such a spirit. The declaration said Asia and Europe would strengthen cooperation on energy safety, jointly handle the challenge of climate change and contribute to social harmony.
Additionally, China, as the host country, issued Chairman's Statement, which included the entire consensus reached during the meeting. All these positive results showed the summit had not only enhanced exchange between Asia and Europe, but also strengthened the continental cooperation pragmatically.
Thirdly, the meeting had special meaning to China. Being the host country, China prepared meticulously for the summit in the spirit of cooperation in a pragmatic manner, and won praise from member countries. With the help of ASEM, a multilateral diplomatic stage, China expressed its solid stands of peaceful development, reform and opening-up and independent foreign policy of peace. Some 40 meetings held by Chinese leaders with their foreign counterpart were regarded as positive, enhancing China's relations with its Asian neighbors and European countries.
The summit served as a tie linking Asia and Europe, and became more and more important day by day. The mutual demand of Asia and Europe is the driving force for ASEM's future development.
From the European perspective, Asia is playing an increasingly important role in the changing global political and economic arena, which is proved by the ongoing international economic turmoil. Europe and America can not lead the global economic order by simply relying on themselves, and they do need understanding and cooperation from Asian countries.
Europe shares many similar views with Asia in terms of climate change, multilateralism and reform on global economic order. Asia-Europe cooperation will be more helpful for both sides to pursue its own policies.
After years of development, ASEM has helped member countries deepen understanding in the fields of politics, economy and social issues, and become a driving force for future development. The summit does serve as a link between past and future, and will usher into a new phase of development.
By People's Daily Online
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