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Pragmatic and Flexible Ways Needed for Asia-Europe Trade: Chinese Minister
Chinese Vice-Minister of Foreign Trade and Economic Cooperation Sun Zhenyu Tuesday called on Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM) member states to adopt pro-active, pragmatic and flexible ways to promote two-way trade and investment between the two continents.
At the 3rd ASEM Economy Ministers' Meeting in Hanoi, Sun said in face of the slowed growth and shrunk demand of the global economy where trade protectionism is gaining ground, Asia and Europe should adopt pragmatic and flexible ways to promote two-way trade and investment, reinforce economic and technical cooperation and overcome the difficulties through concerted efforts.
With a population of over 2.5 billion and half of the world total GDP, as well as strong economic and technological capacity and huge market, ASEM boasts a sound and solid foundation in further strengthening cooperation. As long as ASEM members deepen trade and economic cooperation and exchange in a comprehensive manner by working out long-term development plan and exploring effective and concrete measures under the principle of mutually benefit and mutual complement, ASEM cooperation will keep on yielding new fruits, he said.
Responding to a reporter at the press conference held at the end of the two-day ASEM economic ministers' meeting this evening, Sun said China's forthcoming WTO (World Trade Organization) entry will inject energy to the world economy and benefit all the TWO members and countries of the ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations) as well.
With a more opened market and transparent trade policies, it will be more convenient for business people of ASEAN countries to invest in China and Chinese entrepreneurs to invest in ASEAN countries, he said.
Last year China's trade with ASEAN countries reached 39.5 billion U.S. dollars and it kept increasing in the first half of this year, Sun said, adding that he is optimistic about the Sino- ASEAN economic cooperation.
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