Jiang Opens ADB Meeting with Fresh Anti-terror Call

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Last updated at: (Beijing Time) Friday, May 10, 2002

Jiang Opens ADB Meeting with Fresh Anti-terror Call

Chinese President Jiang Zemin officially opened the Asian Development Bank's annual board of governors meeting in Shanghai Friday with a call for a tougher fight against terrorism.

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Chinese President Jiang Zemin officially opened the Asian Development Bank's annual board of governors meeting in Shanghai Friday with a call for a tougher fight against terrorism.

"The security situation in certain Asian areas allows little optimism and the fight against terrorism needs to go still deeper," he said in an address.

Jiang was speaking two days after a suicide bomber killed 14 people, including 11 French nationals, in the Pakistani city of Karachi. Pakistani police later arrested hundreds of men with suspected links to the al-Qaeda terrorist network.

He said that globalization had created jobs and opened economic opportunities, but had also brought risks, and that the yawning gap between the world's rich and poor was a threat to stability.

"The unfair and inequitable old international political and economic order has not been fundamentally changed," he said.

"Local wars, tensions and turbulence crop up one after another and terrorism and other non-traditional security problems have become all the more pronounced," he said.

Jiang said regional cooperation was even more important in the face of growing threats to stability and that "the lofty cause of peace and development is faced with challenges which must not be overlooked."

China's entry into the World Trade Organization (WTO) this year would be a boost to China's economy and a shot in the arm of the regional economic growth, he added, saying China was committed to close ties with its neigbours.

"China's WTO membership will inject fresh vitality to the growth momentum of China, Asia and the world. The Chinese people will be better off because of it and so will people living in Asia."

Some 3,000 delegates are attending the Manila-based ADB's 35th annual meeting. which ends on Sunday.

Relevant Stories: 35th ADB Annual Meeting Opens in Shanghai

The 35th Annual Meeting of the Board of Governors of the Asian Development Bank (ADB) opened Friday morning in Shanghai, China.

Chinese President Jiang Zemin made a speech at the opening ceremony, expressing warm congratulations, on behalf of the Chinese government and people and also in his own name, on the convocation of the annual meeting and sincere welcome to all the participants.

Also present at the ceremony are senior officials with the 60 ADB members, high-ranking managers of international financial organizations and dignitaries from academic circles.

Full Text of Speech by Jiang Zemin at Opening Ceremony of ADB Annual Meeting

Backgrounder: Asian Development Bank (ADB)

ADB is a multilateral development finance institution dedicated to reducing poverty in Asia and the Pacific. Established in 1966, it is now owned by 59 members, mostly from the region.

Its headquarters is in Manila. It has 21 other offices around the world.

It has a staff about 2,000 employees from nearly 50 countries. (More)

The Thirty-Fifth Annual Meeting of the Board of Governors of the Asian Development Bank will be held in Shanghai, People's Republic of China from Friday, 10 May to Sunday, 12 May 2002. (More)

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Full Text of Speech by Jiang Zemin at Opening Ceremony of ADB Annual Meeting

Jiang Assures More Open Market for Asia and World

35th ADB Annual Meeting Opens in Shanghai

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