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ASEM Leaders Calls for Cooperation to Bridge Digital Divide
Leaders at the third Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM) on Friday called for in-depth cooperation between the two continents to bridge the digital divide, an imbalance in the development and use of information technology among the ASEM member countries.
South Korean President Kim Dae-jung said in his speech at the opening ceremony Friday morning that the phenomenon of the digital divide is emerging as a new obstacle to the balanced development of the global village.
"It is becoming a task that has to be resolved by Asia and Europe together," Kim said, urging all ASEM partners to make efforts to lay a firm foundation for "effective cooperation in building the Trans-Eurasia Information Network, and promotion of electronic commerce and other areas of the knowledge-information industry.
French President and current European Union President Jacque Chirac and Thai Prime Minister Chuan Leekpai voiced their support to the South Korean Initiative for building the information network.
In his speech at the opening ceremony, Chirac said there is a gathering pace in technology development and some countries are marginalized in the process of globalization.
Therefore, it is important to use new technology to provide and share information among ASEM members, the French president said.
Chuan Leekpai said that ASEM members "need to work together to promote a more knowledge-based society, particularly through the development of our human and physical infrastructure."
"If we are to realize the full potential of the so-called New Economy, the information technology revolution must be inclusive rather than exclusive," the Thai prime minister said.
He said that he believes the creation of more electronic linkages between Asia and Europe, leading eventually to an "e-ASEM", will "boost our trade and investment ties and enhance the interaction and dialogue between our peoples."
The Asia-Europe information superhighway project was co-sponsored by South Korea, Singapore and the European Commission to facilitate joint research activities and exchange of knowledge and technology know-how by connecting the two continents.
At the initial stage, the high-speed South Korean research network KOREN will be linked to its European counterpart TEN-155 through an existing submarine cable.
Following the completion of the first stage, other Asian partners will be subsequently connected to the network to complete the entire project by using the APII ((Asia-Pacific Information Infrastructure) testbeds and APAN (Asia-Pacific Advanced Network), which have been in operation in the region.
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