Chinese Premier Unveils Proposal on East Asia Cooperation

Chinese Premier Zhu Rongji put forward Friday a five-point proposal designed to move the East Asia cooperation forward.

Speaking at the summit between the Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN) and China, Japan and South Korea (10 + 3), Premier Zhu said, "East Asia cooperation should follow the principle of openness. Regional organizations and mechanisms for cooperation, such as the 10 + 3, APEC and ASEM, should complement and supplement each other with common development in the region and the world at large as their ultimate goals."

Zhu said that to enhance East Asia cooperation, all parties should:

-- increase input in the Mekong River Basin development;

-- pay greater attention to the development of and cooperation in the information industry;

-- redouble efforts in human resources development cooperation;

-- earnestly implement the Chiang Mai Initiative; and

-- tap the potential of cooperation in agriculture and tourism.

The Chinese leader said he is of the view that the 10 + 3 mechanisms may serve as a main channel for regional cooperation, through which to gradually establish a framework for regional financial, trade and investment cooperation, and furthermore to realize still greater regional economic integration in a step by step manner.






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