(Yangzhou, 25 April 2013)

17 years ago, ASEM was established and has since served as a new Silk Road connecting the two continents. ASEM has grown from a new-born to a young people full of vigor. Its membership enlargement from 26 in the early days to 51 today speaks to its strong vitality and appeal. Within the ASEM framework, a whole set of dialogue and cooperation mechanism including the summit, foreign ministers' meeting, and other ministerial meetings has been set up, involving political, business and academic communities and NGOs, and covering political, economic, cultural, environmental, scientific and technological and other fields. ASEM has played a positive role in shaping a new type of comprehensive partnership between Asia and Europe and promoting peace and prosperity in the world.

Yes, we should fully recognize our achievements. At the same time, we must be fully mindful of the fact that ASEM faces unprecedented challenges and constraints, such as imbalance among the three pillars, insufficient projects of practical cooperation and lack of strong institutional buttress.

Why has ASEM withstood various tests and it endures? Because Asia and Europe need each other. Asia is home to a large number of emerging markets with big market potential, vibrant economic and social development and a promising future. The EU leads the world in many areas as the world's biggest economy with advanced science and technology, mature markets, rich experience and an abundant pool of talented people. With our shared interests increasing, Asia and Europe have become closely interconnected and interdependent with each other. To draw on each other's strengths and seek mutually beneficial cooperation is a natural choice of the two sides and will generate growing impetus to the development of ASEM.

The world is undergoing profound changes. ASEM is standing at a crossroads. As globalization further deepens and competition in intra-regional and cross-regional cooperation gets fiercer, developing ASEM is like sailing against the current. If you don't forge ahead, you will be driven back. As participants, promoters and beneficiaries of ASEM, we need to have a sense of crisis and urgency.

How to achieve sustainable development of ASEM? I think the key lies in the following:

First, we need strategic vision. ASEM is an important trans-regional and inter-governmental platform for dialogue and cooperation between Asia and Europe. To use this platform for greater cooperation and mutual trust is highly significant for maintaining regional stability and prosperity, advancing world development and promoting the settlement of global issues. Asia and Europe are integral parts of the world. We should look at ASEM from a global perspective and a strategic height, and think about how to enable ASEM to play a bigger role in global affairs.

Second, cooperation is the essence and purpose of ASEM. ASEM provides an important platform for Asian and European countries to have dialogue and cooperation on the three pillars, namely political dialogue, economic cooperation and exchanges in social, cultural and other fields. We need to work together to promote steady growth of the world economy and improve global governance. We need to uphold the principles of equality, mutual respect, consensus building and non-interference into others' internal affairs. And we should carry out dialogue and cooperation on the basis of the aforementioned principles in the spirit of seeking common ground while reserving differences.

Third, we need concrete action. Economic cooperation serves as an important foundation for ASEM partnership. Only with a solid groundwork can we build a high building. We need to carry out more cooperation projects that are visible, tangible and serve the immediate interests of the people. We also need to make ASEM more pragmatic, effective and targeted, so that it can meet the needs of economic and social development, and Asia-Europe cooperation can deliver more benefits to the people and win greater public support.

Dear Colleagues,

China actively advocates and promotes Asia-Europe dialogue and cooperation. Over the past 17 years, China initiated and held about 50 important activities, consistently provided contributions to the Asia-Europe Foundation and announced an increase in its contributions last year. We are ready to continue to play our due role in enhancing the political, economic and social development of Asian and European countries in a balanced manner.

This Symposium is a concrete action to promote sustainable development of ASEM. I believe that with the joint efforts of all parties, we can build more consensus through the exchange of ideas and make important contribution to Asia-Europe cooperation.