Chinese, Japanese, ROK Leaders Call for Greater Asian Cooperation

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Last updated at: (Beijing Time) Tuesday, November 05, 2002

Chinese, Japanese, ROK Leaders Call for Greater Asian Cooperation

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Leaders Call for Greater Asian Cooperation

Chinese Premier Zhu Rongji presided over the talks between China, Japan and the Republic of Korea (ROK) Monday in Phnom Penh with a view to enhancing economic cooperation between them as well as their cooperation with ASEAN.

Premier Zhu, Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi and ROK Prime Minister Kim Suk Soo all agreed that their talks have increased mutual understanding and trust among them, which will be conducive to moving forward the relations between the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) on the one hand and China, Japan and the ROK on the other, or the 10+3 process.

Zhu put forward some proposals on future cooperation among the three countries, including identifying key areas of cooperation.

He suggested that the three countries divert their future cooperation to the areas of economy and trade, IT industry, environmental protection, human resources development and cultural cooperation.

Zhu proposed to his Japanese and ROK counterparts that a feasibility study on establishing the China-Japan-ROK Free Trade Zone be activated at a proper time.

This will help increase the tripartite cooperation in economy and trade and leave a positive impact on the economic integration in East Asia, said the Chinese premier.

Zhu also proposed enhancing policy coordination within the 10+3framework while the three countries expressed their support for ASEAN in playing a core role, so as to boost the development of East Asian cooperation.

Meanwhile, Zhu suggested that the monitoring and curbing of sand storms be taken as a common cooperation project among the three countries.

Zhu called for facilitating businessmen of the three countries in getting an easier access to visa, so as to ensure more convenient exchanges of personnel.

The Chinese premier also suggested holding a high-level seminar among the media of the three countries next year to intensify their cooperation.

Koizumi and Kim Suk Soo gave their support for and positive response to Premier Zhu's suggestions and proposals.

They hoped to expand and deepen the cooperation among the three countries through various mechanisms of cooperation.

South Korea voiced its views on enhancing environmental protection, exchange of personnel, and the exchanges in academy, culture, sports and tourism.

Both Koizumi and Kim Suk Soo expressed their grave concern about the nuclear issue on the Korean Peninsular.

Premier Zhu explained China's principled stance on this issue.

The three leaders voiced their support for creating a nuclear-free Korean peninsular, maintaining peace and stability on the peninsular, and resolving the existing problems through peaceful dialogue.

Cooperation in combating int'l terrorism

Leaders of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) on Monday expressed their determination to take specific measures, collectively and individually, to counter international terrorism.

The heads of state and government of ASEAN member countries, who are gathering here to hold their 8th annual summit, issued a declaration on combating international terrorism, vowing to enhance efforts to prevent, counter and suppress the activities of terrorist groups in the region.

The ASEAN leaders condemned terrorist attacks in Bali, Indonesia in October that caused hundreds of casualties, and in the Philippine cities of Zamboanga and Quezon.

"We denounce once again the use of terror, with its toll on human life and society, in many places around the world for whatever cause and in the name of whatever religious or ethnic aspiration," said the declaration.

It said the ASEAN leaders called on the international community to support ASEAN's efforts to combat terrorism and restore business confidence in the region, and pledged to cooperate in mitigating the adverse impact of terrorist attacks on ASEAN countries.

They also urged other countries not to advise their citizens to refrain from visiting ASEAN countries in the absence of established evidence to substantiate rumors of possible terrorist attacks. The drastic fall in tourist arrivals as a result of possible terrorist attacks has dealt a heavy blow to the economy of ASEAN countries, particularly their tourism industry.

The ASEAN leaders issued the Declaration on Terrorism at the 8th ASEAN summit that opened in Phnom Penh on Monday morning after detailed discussions of the issue, a major concern to ASEAN countries, at a series of pre-summit meetings over the weekend in Phnom Penh.

The ASEAN leaders have decided to establish a Regional Counter-Terrorism Center this month in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

Local competitiveness through integration

State and government leaders participating in the 8th Summit of ASEAN also pledged to sharpen the global competitiveness of the member countries through a closer regional integration.

The ASEAN Secretary General Rodolfo Severino said in a report to the leaders that there is an urgent need to chart a clear path forward for the region to achieve its goal.

Severino urged the member countries to identify avenues to accelerate the process of integration. He noticed that the process of economic integration among the ASEAN countries has not kept pace with increasing competition in the globalized world.

"Having a clear idea of its destination would enable ASEAN to proceed more rapidly and smoothly on the path of economic integration," Severino said. It is critical for ASEAN to know its destination and which path will take it there at the crucial crossroads in its history, he added.

The state and government leaders from the 10 ASEAN countries attended Monday's meeting, which was officiated by Cambodia's Prime Minister Hun Sen.

"Isolation is no longer an option for any nation. Our fates and destines are intertwined, and our economies are inter-dependent," Hun Sen said in his opening remarks to the first session of the 8th ASEAN Summit.

He stressed, "ASEAN must build on our legacy of solidarity and common purpose in order to succeed. With mutual respect and caring collaboration we will achieve the purpose of shared peace and regional, and ultimately global, prosperity." Hun Sen also proposed "the Phnom Penh Agenda" at the summit meeting.

The leaders also signed a number of agreements on the regional economic cooperation during the summit, such as the regional tourist agreement.

The summit with the theme of "Towards a Community of Southeast Asian Nations" focused on the issues of how to further quicken the steps of regional economic cooperation and integration and other issues of common interests.

During the summit, leaders also issued a declaration on terrorism. "We are determined to carry out and build on the specific measures outlined in the ASEAN Declaration on Joint Action to Counter Terrorism," they said.

"We resolve to intensify our efforts, collectively and individually, to prevent, counter and suppress the activities of terrorist groups in the region," they added.

ASEAN groups Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam. Cambodia was admitted officially into the regional economic bloc in April 1999 after a delay of nearly two years, mainly due to Cambodia's factional fighting in July 1997.

This was the first time for Cambodia to host the ASEAN Summit, which is followed by the ASEAN + 3, ASEAN + 1 (China, Japan and South Korea, separately) and ASEAN-India Summit.

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