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| ASEM Economic Ministers Meeting officially opens |
| CCTV.COM 2003-07-24 15:07:16 |
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Economic ministers from 26 Asian and European countries and the European Union held their first joint meeting in the northeastern Chinese resort of Dalian Thursday. The meeting is to boost cooperation in trade and investment in the region as well as to push forward the new round of WTO talks. Chinese Vice Premier Wu Yi attended Thursday's opening session.
This is the first time that all 26 ministers have assembled together. Chinese Vice Premier Wu Yi was on hand to greet them.
Addressing the opening session, she said the meeting is being held at a time when the Iraqi war, a weak dollar and terrorism pose uncertainties about the recovery of the global economy. She hoped the meeting would make new headway in meeting this challenge.
"I hope participating members will take this opportunity to review some of the key issues in global development, exchange ideas and find new ground for cooperation," said Wu.
The vice－premier said that at a time of increasing globalization, strengthening regional cooperation holds key importance to the common prosperity of Asia and Europe. In this respect, the European Union Trade Commissioner Pascal Lami, who is also one of the four economic coordinators of ASEM, had mixed feelings about the worth of the work done in the past year.
"While we have been able to accomplish much we must not be too complacent. We could have done more," said Pascal.
While strengthening regional trade and investment ties is topping the agenda, officials are also trying to find ways to avoid a stalemate at the World Trade Organization liberalization talks launched at Doha in Qatar two years ago.
"I believe we are to send a positive image," said Pascal.
For the host nation, China, the meeting holds particular importance, not the least because it's the first high level international conference held in post－SARS China. The Chinese vice－premier is trying to send a clear signal that China is recovering from the negative impact of the disease and that the overall investment environment continues to be fine.
During the day, the participants will be discussing issues concerning regional trade and investment, and try to coordinate their positions on such issues as the WTO. Chinese Commerce Minister Lu Fuyuan will issue a statement from the Chair at the end of the day along with a detailed review of progress in areas of trade and investment promotion.
Like previous ASEM meetings, this one has a very short time to tackle an ambitious agenda, from facilitating regional trade and investment to thrashing out WTO agreements. At the end of the day, solutions may not be found to all these problems. But it does provide an opportunity for the ministers to talk to each other, and a window onto a closer Asian－European relationship.
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Editor: Yang Feiyang CCTV.com
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