Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao on Tuesday called for closer coordination and cooperation between China and the Association of the Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) countries in fighting against the severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS).

Addressing the China-ASEAN leaders' special meeting on SARS, Wen said that all diseases, particularly new infectious diseases of unknown causes, are common enemies to mankind, and that the cross-boundary spread of SARS poses a common challenge to the world and to the region in particular.

To join efforts to fight the disease both at regional and international levels, the Chinese premier recommended that a reporting mechanism be established with respect to epidemic and disease prevention and treatment.

He also suggested that China and the ASEAN countries carry out exchanges of experience and go for cooperated SARS research, accelerate bilateral health cooperation process, coordinate the border exit and entry control measures, and do everything possibleto minimize the adverse effect of SARS.

"We should move immediately to establish a China-ASEAN reporting network on SARS situation, treatment and research, timely brief each other on the epidemic situation in accordance with mutually agreed standards, rules and methods, share each other's successful experience and R&D (research and development) achievements in SARS control and step up bilateral communication, consultation and coordination in SARS prevention and treatment," Wen said.

"While suggesting a high level international seminar in May for the two sides to compare notes on this issue, we are ready to play host to this event," the premier said.

"In the meantime, we suggest that cooperated research and personnel training programs be arranged in such areas as the patterns of SARS transmission, SARS nosogenesis and SARS clinical diagnosis," Wen said.

He said the health cooperation mechanism between China and the ASEAN countries should be established as soon as possible, focusing on SARS prevention and treatment for the time being and holding a meeting at the ministerial level at an appropriate time.

Wen proposed that competent officials in charge of border exit and entry control meet at an early date to coordinate respective national policies and measures so as to alleviate the impact of SARS on normal personnel exchanges between the two sides.

Noting that SARS has brought about a multi-faceted adverse impact on the region's economic and social development, the premier also proposed a China-ASEAN workshop to look into possible counter-measures.

(Xinhua News Agency April 30, 2003)