Mr. Chairman,

Ladies and Gentlemen,

The Asia High-level Symposium on Threats, Challenges and Change was held in Hangzhou on April 2-4. Initiated by the UN High-level Panel, the Symposium was designed to listen to views and suggestions of Asian nations on ways to strengthen the UN role. Eleven members of the UN Panel, together with 33 former political leaders, renowned experts and scholars from Asian countries, attended the Symposium. Now, let me brief you about this symposium.

1. The Symposium calls for continued collective action. Against the backdrop of economic globalization, both traditional and non-traditional security threats such as terrorism, spread of weapons of mass destruction, ethnic and religious conflicts, abject poverty, and serious epidemics endanger global peace and security. The interconnection and interaction of various threats further add to their complexity and destructiveness. In the face of global problems, no country can cope with them on its own or be secure from those threats. Collective action is the best means to tackle various threats and challenges confronting the human society. This conforms with the UN Charter and universally recognized laws and norms, as well as the trend of democracy and rule of law in international relations.

2. The Symposium highlights a stronger UN role. It is the shared view of the participants that the UN plays an irreplaceable role in international affairs. Under the current situation, it is all the more pressing to strengthen the UN role. They agreed that, given the changing circumstances, the UN should undergo necessary reforms and should increase input, intensify coordination and raise efficiency so as to enhance its overall capacity in dealing with threats and challenges. In the meantime, the participants believe that, to maintain world peace and security, it is absolutely necessary for all member states to firmly uphold the purposes and principles of the UN Charter and act within its mandate. The UN reform should be a process in which all opinions are respected, all concerns are addressed, and all interests are considered.

3. The Symposium concludes that the international community should commit itself to eradicating poverty and facilitating sustainable development. Development serves as the fundamental guarantee for security. Though economic globalization and advances in science and technology bring with them opportunities for development, they also widen the gap between the rich and the poor and aggravate uneven development. Poverty is the most pressing issue facing the vast number of the developing countries, and one of the principal sources of global threats. In its efforts to eliminate poverty, realize the Millennium Development Goals, and turn globalization into a positive factor benefiting all peoples, the international community should let the UN play a leading role supplemented by other international agencies and regional organizations. The developed countries need to take effective steps to fulfill their promise to assist the developing countries.

4. The Symposium advocates a culture of tolerance, i.e. different cultures should learn from and complement each other. Many delegates speak highly of Asia's age-old culture of tolerance. They believe that over the years Asian nations have made useful efforts to explore ways to increase confidence, intensify dialogue and cooperation, and promote common security and development. Dialogue and cooperation are conducive to mutual respect and peaceful co-existence, to exchanges between different civilizations, and to maintaining diversity of cultural traditions and economic development models.

A pamphlet has been compiled about this symposium, which I will transmit to Secretary-General Kofi Annan. I hope that all of you would continue to give your kind attention to the work of the UN High-level Panel.

Thank you.