On April 6, 2005, Premier Wen Jiabao of the State Council who is on an official visit to Pakistan attended the opening ceremony of the fourth Asia Cooperation Dialogue (ACD) Foreign Ministers Meeting and delivered a keynote speech.

The foreign ministers or their representatives of the 26 member countries were present at the meeting.

In his keynote speech entitled Being a Trustworthy and Reliable Partner of People all over Asia", Wen first of all complimented the significance of the annual foreign ministers' meeting of Asian countries to strengthening mutual understanding and promoting cooperation in the region.

He said that with a long history and glorious culture, Asia has made tremendous contributions to human progress. In modern history, people in Asia once suffered from the invasion and humiliation of colonialism and imperialism and eventually realized national liberation and independence after long-term and arduous struggle. The Asian people have the deepest understanding of the value of peace. Since the latter half of the last century Asian countries have been committed to exploring the development roads in accordance with their own realities and a group of industrialized countries emerged out of them. Asia has become the most dynamic region with the fastest growing economy in the world.

Entering into the 21 century, Asia remains energetic and faces historical opportunities of rejuvenation and development, said Wen. The overall eased international situation provides a favorable external environment for Asia. Rich resources, abundant labor forces and vast markets create unique advantages for Asia's sustained economic growth. The regional cooperation with Asian characteristics keeps speeding up, which will raise the competitiveness of Asia comprehensively.

Today Asia is a region full of hopes yet filled with complexities. Here exist the territorial, ethnic and religious issues left over from history, regional hot issues, the issue of imbalanced economic development and such new problems as terrorism, cross-border crime, deterioration of ecological environment and spread of epidemic diseases. Those problems exist at different extent and the contradictions are interweaved with each other, seriously hindering the development of the region.

Faced with opportunities and challenges, countries across Asia should shoulder their historical responsibilities and make joint efforts to build a new Asia of peace, stability, cooperation and development.

Wen pointed out that Asia needs peace. Peace is the prerequisite and guarantee for building happiness and prosperity. Wars and conflicts not only inflict trauma on the people but also bungle the opportunities of national development. Mutual respect, equal dialogue, friendly consolations and mutual accommodation and understanding are the logical choices of solving contradictions and conflicts. We should try our best to develop a peaceful environment in Asia with mutual trust and long lasting stability.

Asia needs stability. To maintain domestic stability is of special importance to all countries in Asia. The affairs of each country should be determined by the people of that country. The international community should make more efforts favorable to regional stability and the stability of individual countries and pay greater attention and deliver greater help to the economically underdeveloped countries. The developing countries of Asia should make great efforts to develop economy, get rid of poverty and backwardness, narrow down the disparity between the rich and the poor, improve democracy and legal system and realize the long-term stability.

Asia needs cooperation. Against the backdrop of accelerating economic globalization, regional cooperation is especially important. The diversification of Asia provides vast space for the cooperation among countries in the region. We should put focus on economic and trade cooperation and completely push forward the mutually beneficial cooperation in all fields. We should establish and improve the cooperation mechanisms in such key areas as energy development and exploration, environmental protection, utilization of resources and financial dialogue and gradually raise cooperation to higher levels. The regional free trade arrangement should be phased in, trade frictions should be handled properly and a new cooperation pattern of complementarities and diversified opening in Asia should be forged.

Asia needs development. Most Asian countries are still underdeveloped and their poverty-stricken population account for two thirds of the world's total. It is the strong wish of the Asian people and the important task of Asian countries to accelerate economic growth and social progress. The development of Asia and improvement of people's living standards are themselves major contributions to the world. Without the development of the entire Asia it will be impossible for the real Asia age to come.

He said that China is a member of the Asian family. Like people of other Asian countries, the Chinese people love peace, value stability, seek cooperation and are committed to development. With years of exploration, we have found a development road suitable for China's national conditions. That is the road of socialist modernization with Chinese characteristics and the road to peaceful development as well.

China adheres to internal reform, works hard to remove the institutional obstacles to the development of productivity. The establishment of the market economy system greatly stimulates the enthusiasm and creativity of the Chinese people. China insists upon opening up, participating in international economic cooperation and absorbing the new technological achievements in the world and raising industrialization level, which has helped China cut down the disparity with the developed countries in the world. In addition to mutually beneficial cooperation with other countries, China mainly depends on its own to cope with the huge challenges of resources and environment. We try our best to avoid making troubles to others and have made tangible achievements. China follows the road of peaceful development and aims to strengthen friendship with our neighboring countries, which have help create a favorable external environment for domestic construction of China. Fundamentally speaking, China's pursuit of the peaceful development road is based on the objective needs of its modernization undertaking. Over more than 20 years China's pursuit of the road has not only led to its own development but also generated opportunities to other countries in the region and promoted the peace and development of the world as a whole.

Wen said that China is sincere and determined to follow the peaceful development road. Despite of fluctuating international situation, the Chinese people will always be a trustworthy and reliable partner of the people of other Asian countries. Some worry that the development and emergence of China will threat other countries, which is totally unnecessary. The reasons are as follows:

--- We will continue to concentrate on handling our own business well. Today China is still a developing country, with the per capita GDP of a little more than US$1,000 ranking after the top 100 countries in the world. China still has a long way to go to realize modernization. Even if we grow strong in the future, we will hinder nobody, not to mention threatening anyone. China will never seek hegemony!

--- We will continue to expand and intensify cooperation with all the other Asian countries. All countries, no matter big or small, rich or poor, are our equal partners. Mutually beneficial and win-win cooperation is our goal. China supports the role of Asian regional and sub-regional cooperation mechanisms. We will work with all the rest countries in Asia to strengthen mutual trust in politics, deepen economic and trade cooperation, expand cultural exchanges, strengthen security dialogue and make greater contribution to promoting all-round cooperation in the region.

--- We will continue to properly handle the problems left over from history. To adhere to the five principles of peaceful coexistence and reinforce dialogue and consultations is helpful to resolving contradictions, building common consensus and appropriately addressing problems left over from history. China has solved the historical land border issues with the majority of countries through equal consultations and mutual accommodation and understanding. In the principle of putting aside disputes and engaging in joint exploitation, we have reached common consensus with some countries on the joint development of South China Sea. The Chinese government unswervingly pursues the policy of "becoming a good neighbor and a good partner" to constantly improve and develop the friendly relations with all the other countries in Asia.

--- We will continue to play a constructive role in regional affairs. China is a responsible country and has fulfilled its due responsibilities in guarding against the Asian financial crisis, fighting against the SARS epidemic and assisting the Indian Ocean tsunami-affected countries. In the future we will continue to uphold justice in both regional and international affairs and protect the rights and interests of developing countries. We will, as always, extend mutual support and help in safeguarding economic security and fighting against major natural disasters. China provides assistance to other countries in its own power sincerely and selflessly without any political conditions attached.

--- We will continue to support Asia in maintaining its openness. China's development benefits from its opening up. Therefore, we always hold that Asia's development must maintain openness. Asia's cooperation is neither exclusive nor targeted at any third party. China and all the other Asian countries welcome all countries and organizations in the world to get involved in Asia's development process and play an active role.

In conclusion, Wen said that the 21 century indicates promising prospects for Asia. Peace, stability, cooperation and development are where Asia's hope lies. To realize the grand goal needs the consistent efforts of all countries in the region. Let's join hands to create a better future for Asia!

Initiated by Thailand, ACD held the first Foreign Ministers Meeting in 2002. China hosted the third ACD Foreign Ministers Meeting in 2004. ACD is the only official dialogue and cooperation mechanism that aims to eventually encompass all countries in Asia and promote the exchanges and cooperation of all Asian countries in all fields.