China's Top Legislator Calls for Establishment of New World Order

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Last updated at: (Beijing Time) Monday, September 01, 2003

China's Top Legislator Calls for Establishment of New World Order

China's top legislator Wu Bangguo said Monday in Manila that to achieve universal and lasting peace and development in Asia is a historic mission of all Asian parliaments and governments.

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China's top legislator Wu Bangguo said Monday in Manila that to achieve universal and lasting peace and development in Asia is a historic mission of all Asian parliaments and governments.

Wu, chairman of the Standing Committee of China's National People's Congress and AAPP's current president, made the remarks in his keynote address at the opening ceremony of the 4th General Assembly of the Association of Asian Parliaments for Peace (AAPP).

Wu called for firmly seizing the opportunity and taking on the challenges. "We must endeavor to bring about a better future for our children and grandchildren," he said.

To such end, he made following proposals:

-- Promote the establishment of a new international political and economic order that is fair and equitable. Changes in international situation and progress of human civilization call for an international order that reflects the common interests of the majority of countries and peoples. It is incumbent to gradually adjust and reform what is unfair and unjust in the existing order and push for democracy in international relations. Under the new order we pursue, all countries will respect and consult one another politically and complement one another and seek common development economically. It is an order under which all countries enjoy mutual trust and peace in the area of securityand learn from one another and work for common prosperity culturally. Asian countries may take the lead in experimenting with these ideas and develop cooperation in this regard.

-- Seek common development and prosperity of all nations. Factshave proven that poverty is a major cause of turbulence and wealthpolarization a catalyst of social conflicts. It is therefore imperative to push for a healthy development of the regional and global economy based on equality and mutual benefit and promote a development pattern where countries complement one another and move forward together. It is also important for us to promote closer South-South cooperation and more South-North cooperation. Developed countries should give more attention and help to developing ones so that all countries may share the benefit of globalization.

-- Foster a new security concept featuring mutual trust, mutualbenefit, equality and cooperation. In today's world, as countries become increasingly interdependent, the best guarantee for security is common security. The use of force brings no genuine peace. Countries should move beyond differences in ideology, social system and religious belief and should respect and trust one anther as equals. They should promote understanding and trust through dialogue and cooperation and settle disputes and conflictspeacefully through negotiations and prevent war and conflicts. Asian regional cooperation, though started relatively late, is going rapidly and has already become a major link for Asian countries to cement and strengthen their relations. They should cherish all the more this hard won situation and further promote political trust, economic integration and win-win security. China always believes that it is a world of diversity. As an ancient Chinese philosopher puts it, "In human relationships, a gentleman seeks harmony but not uniformity." Asian nations must recognize and respect diversity in Asia and the world and seek to settle anydifferences through dialogue and cooperation. Peaceful coexistenceof Asian countries, mutual respect for each other's histories, cultures, social systems and development models, mutual learning and experience sharing will contribute to peace and development inAsia and the world.

-- Safeguard and strengthen the important role of the United Nations. The birth and development of the UN represents progress in human society. In spite of the new situation, the purposes and principles of the UN Charter remain an important legal base for the maintenance of world peace. Nations must protect the authorityof the UN with great care and increase its efficiency so that the organization will play a greater role in international affairs.

Maintenance of peace main trend in Asia

In his speech "Let us Work Together for a Century of Peace and Sustainable Development in Asia," Wu said, given the on-going profound changes in international and regional situation, it is particularly significant, both practically and historically, the leaders and members of Asian parliaments meet and discuss the way forward for lasting peace and development in Asia.

"The Asian nations having endured untold sufferings and hardships in our pursuit of peace and development, know full well what peace and development mean to us," he said.

Thanks to the persistent endeavors of Asian people of several generations, almost all Asian countries have won peace and tranquility and many of them have achieved leapfrog economic development, he told delegates.

According to Wu, almost all Asian countries are committed to economic recovery and development as their top priority. Peace and stability are the common will of all Asian people. "We in Asia have launched security dialogue at various levels, developed regional cooperation of various forms, which in turn has deepened our mutual understanding, trust and harmony," he said.

However, Wu pointed out, Asia's peace is still under challenge. The intertwining of traditional and non-traditional security issues makes the security situation intricate and complicated. "We have been closely following the process towards a peaceful solution to the Korean Peninsula nuclear issue. We feel the threat of terrorism, separatism and extremism. And we have to address such issues as infectious diseases, cross-border crimes and ecological disasters," he said.

AAPP is Asia's largest inter-parliament organization with 37 member nations. Twenty-six members attended the opening ceremony.

AAPP purposes, positions widely accepted

Wu Bangguo said that since the AAPP was launched four years ago, its purposes and positions have been widely accepted and supported.

According to Wu, the founding of the AAPP has been an important contribution made by Asian countries to closer cooperation and exchanges among parliaments of sovereign states and greater peace and development in the region. Its growing appeal and steady enlargement make it the biggest regional parliamentary organization in Asia.

"A common question before us is how our organization may operate more effectively, remain always dynamic and truly serve as a bond of friendship linking parliaments and peoples in the region," he said.

He expressed the belief that as long as all member nations carry forward the principles laid down at each AAPP general assembly, develop friendly cooperation in line with the two main themes of peace and development, strengthen dialogue and consultations on international and regional issues, encourage and facilitate exchanges and mutual learning among all member states on democratic and legislative development, "we will shape a better future of peace, stability and prosperity in Asia."

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