China condemns terrorist attack in Nice, stresses trade cooperation at ASEM Summit

Chinese PremierLi Keqiang(C, front) delivers a speech during the 11th Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM) Summit in Ulan Bator, Mongolia, July 15, 2016.(Xinhua/Ma Zhancheng)

ULAN BATOR, July 15 -- Chinese Premier Li Keqiang on Friday condemned a terrorist attack in the French city of Nice and called for strengthened economic and trade cooperation among regional countries, at the 11th Asian-Europe Meeting (ASEM) Summit in the Mongolian capital.

During bilateral meetings on the sidelines of the summit with Li, Russian and Cambodian leaders voiced support for China's stance on the South China Sea. The Chinese premier also met with his Japanese counterpart, Shinzo Abe, at the latter's request.

CONDEMNATION OVER TERRORIST ATTACK IN FRANCE

Li began his speech at the ASEM gathering by extending condolences to the victims of an overnight attack in the French city of Nice and their families. At least 84 people were killed by the deadly truck attack on Thursday night. France declared three days of national morning beginning on Saturday.

"The Chinese government and people stand with the French people and strongly condemns the terrorist attack," said Li, who called for unity and cooperation from the international community to combat terrorism.

Li noted that Eurasia faces some severe challenges, especially knotty problems such as terrorism and the refugee issue, urging efforts from all parties in preventing new breeding grounds for turmoils and safeguarding world peace and regional stability.

Li said China always acts as a promoter of world peace, the international order and rule of law, and a keeper of regional peace and stability. "All sides should jointly safeguard the post-World War II international order, abandon the Cold-War or zero-sum mentality, and strive to make the international order and global governance system more and more fair and justified."

China, Li stressed, always advocates that all countries, big or small, rich or poor, strong or weak, should conduct themselves in accordance with the laws and rules, oppose double standards and reject misinterpretation of international law, obey rules agreed in the region, and resolve disputes in a peaceful manner and through political means rather than incite conflicts or confrontation.

BOOSTING TRADE, CONNECTIVITY IN EURASIA

Li suggested Asia-Europe cooperation be guided towards a more pragmatic direction, and economic and trade cooperation be enhanced in particular.

The Chinese premier said he looks forward to the resumption of the ASEM Economic Ministers' Meeting next year after a 10-year hiatus. He called for joint efforts to speed up the establishment of an open and inclusive megamarket across Asia and Europe and facilitate free trade and investment.

The premier called on regional countries to enhance connectivity, vowing efforts to give full play to the role of the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank and the Silk Road Fund in investment and finance.

On China's economy, Li said its performance in the first half of the year was steady and in line with expectations. China is confident of achieving its main full-year development targets, he said.

Official statistics showed China's gross domestic product (GDP) expanded 6.7 percent year on year in the first half of 2016 to reach 34.06 trillion yuan (5.08 trillion U.S. dollars).

Despite continuous downward pressure, China's current government debt ratio is low while household savings rate is high.

Li said that as China has ample policy tools, the country has the confidence in ensuring medium-high economic growth rates so as to take the economy to medium-high levels of development.

RUSSIA, CAMBODIA SUPPORT CHINA ON SEA DISPUTES

The issue of the South China Sea was among the topics discussed during Li's meetings with his Russian counterpart, Dmitry Medvedev, and his Cambodian counterpart, Samdech Techo Hun Sen.

Medvedev said Russia opposes internationalization of the South China Sea disputes or any interference from forces outside the region.

The Russian side supports the China-initiated principles of resolving the disputes, Medvedev said, calling for bilateral negotiations and consultations between directly relevant parties to solve the issue.

For his part, Hun Sen said Cambodia will continue to remain objective and impartial on the South China Sea issue.

Cambodia, he said, is willing to work with all parties to keep up the friendly cooperation between the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and China.

Li said China will stick to the approach of settling the South China Sea disputes via dialogues and consultations between countries directly concerned, while defending regional peace and stability as well as freedom of navigation in collaboration with ASEAN member states.

Earlier this week, a Hague-based ad hoc tribunal's arbitral denied China's long-standing historic rights in the South China Sea in an arbitration unilaterally initiated by the former Philippine administration. China has said the award is invalid and will neither accept nor recognize it.

So far, at least 70 countries and 230 political parties or organizations have expressed understanding and support for China's stance on the South China Sea disputes.

CHINA, JAPAN PMs MEET ON TROUBLED TIES

Li also met with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe at the latter's request in Ulan Bator. The Chinese premier urged the Abe administration to take active and friendly policies towards China.

Li said China-Japan relations have in recent years embarked on a course of improvement, but the pace is slow and is from time to time disturbed by complications.

He urged both sides to keep a strong sense of responsibility, and steadily push ahead China-Japan ties on the basis of the reality and long-term strategic consideration.

Both sides should act on the consensus that China and Japan are cooperative partners instead of threats to each other, and support each other's peaceful development, he added.

The premier suggested the two countries resume dialogues and communications step by step in the spirit of equality and mutual respect, to add to the positive facets in bilateral ties.

Japan is not a state directly involved in the South China Sea issue, and thus should "exercise caution in its own words and deeds, and stop hyping up and interfering in" the issue, Li said. He called on both sides to step up exchanges on the East China Sea issue via dialogues and consultations in a bid to avoid misinterpretation and miscalculation.

For his part, Abe said despite existing difficulties in the relations between Japan and China, the Japanese side hopes to expand exchanges and cooperation with China, properly manage differences, and push forward bilateral ties in pursuit of a strategic, mutually beneficial relationship.

He hoped the two countries could resume high-level economic dialogues and facilitate bilateral cooperation in the fiscal and financial sectors, as well as in energy conservation and environment protection.