Titled "The Prosperous and Promising Cooperation between Asia and Europe," the article is written prior to the third ASEM (Asia- Europe Meeting) Foreign Ministers' Meeting, scheduled to be held May 24-25 in Beijing, when 25 ASEM members and representatives from the European Commission will hold extensive and in-depth discussions on global and regional issues of common concern, as well as the Asia-Europe cooperation in trade, the economy and social and cultural sectors.

As the first gathering among ASEM foreign ministers in the new century, the event has attracted special attention from the international community and marks a major diplomatic occasion in China, Tang says.

He says the ASEM is a trans-regional cooperation mechanism that works to establish a comprehensive new partnership between Asia and Europe, enhance dialogue, understanding and cooperation between the two continents, create favorable conditions for their economic and social development, and maintain world peace and stability.

Tang cited two events of far-reaching influence on the world's pattern that happened in the five decades after World War II (WWII) . One being the rise of east Asia, which includes the southeast and northeast Asia, the other being Europe's integration process, Tang says.

The rapid economic development and rise in the political status of East Asian nations, including China, has enabled this region to become a major force in the world's pattern, Tang says.

Europe, on the other hand, having experienced frequent wars and turbulence in the past few centuries, was the place where two world wars in the 20th century were played out, he notes. The integration process of Europe after WWII has boosted and safeguarded stability and prosperity in West Europe and has laid a foundation for Europe to play a bigger role in the world's affairs.

It is noteworthy that far from drawing to an end, both the economic development of East Asia and the integration of the European Union (EU) is continuing, Tang says.

He notes that East Asia, Western Europe and North America take up more than three quarters of the world's total GNP, and points out that as an integral party, the 15 EU members take up 29 percent of the world's GNP.

"As a matter of fact, East Asia, West Europe and North America are now the three pillars of the world economy," Tang says.

Europe and America have maintained close links, and the ties between East Asia and North America have been strengthened with the establishment of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC), he says.

Meanwhile, ASEM has set up a bridge between Asia and Europe, Tang says, noting that ASEM takes up 40 percent of the world's population with its 2.4 billion people, and takes up 50 percent of the world's GDP.

He says the EU is an influential group of nations, with France and Britain as permanent members of the UN Security Council. The importance of Asia-Eurpoe cooperation is therefore not to be underestimated, as it reflects the strategic needs of the two continents to complement each other both politically and economically, he adds.

Over a decade has passed since the Cold War ended, and it is now the trend to maintain peace, stability, development and cooperation. Tang says. "As two major forces of the multi-polar world, Asia and Europe are striving to enhance understanding and expand common ground through equal dialogue and mutual respect," he adds.

Such a move is conducive to the democratic process of international relations and in line with the current trend as well as the long-term benefits of the two continents and the people of the world, Tang says.

"It is welcomed by the international community, is sure to contribute to the world's peace, stability, development and prosperity and will have a far-reaching effect on the establishment of a fair and rational, international, political and economic order," Tang says.

Tang touches upon broad prospects for Asia-Europe cooperation.

He notes that there is no conflicts of fundamental interests between Asia and Europe and they share identical or similar views on many major international issues, which has laid a firm foundation for Asian-European cooperation.

He points out that members of Asia and Europe enjoy strong economic power and broad prospects for future development, and their economies are highly complementary.

Asia boasts rich natural and human resources and a vast market with a great potential, says Tang, voicing that Asian countries have scored a rapid development in promoting economic progress in accordance with their own conditions in the past years.

Europe enjoys its advantages in capital, science and technology, as well as rich experience in economic development and environmental protection, Tang goes on to say.

He stresses that it is worth pointing out that many European countries hold a positive attitude toward providing capital for and transferring technologies to developing countries, and helping them eliminate poverty and protect the environment.

Northern European countries are among the few developed countries whose official aid for developing countries accounts for 0.7 percent of their GNP, as required by the United Nations, Tang notes.

In the past five years since the ASEM was initiated, Asia- Europe cooperation has withstood tests and demonstrated strong vitality and vigor, points out Tang.

The ASEM was set up in 1996 when Asia's economy showed a good development momentum, and Singapore's proposal for strengthening Asia-Europe cooperation won positive echoes from European and Asian members, notes Tang.

In July 1997, the Asian financial crisis occurred and some people were worried about the future for Asia-Europe cooperation, Tang continues, countries from the two continents discussed the issue and took positive measures, thus making contributions to helping them step out of the crisis by Asian countries.

He points out that facts have proven that Asia-Europe cooperation can help share prosperity and deal with crisis, which reveals far-sightedness of leaders of ASEM member states, the maturing of the Asia-Europe mechanism, and the common need and long-term interests of the two continents.

With the slowing-down of the current world economy and increasing uncertainties, the two continents' cooperation has become an impelling and necessary issue, Tang emphasizes.

In the views of many people, Asia and Europe, representing civilizations of the East and the West, have different histories and cultural traditions, and their economic development and values are also different, which will pose much difficulty on Asia-Europe cooperation, states Tang.

However, Tang says, he believes that so long as the two sides abide by the principles of equality, friendship and mutual benefit, those differences will be the driving force and content for dialogue, cooperation and exchanges rather than obstacles.

Tang, when addressing the characteristics of Asia-Europe Cooperation, says that compared with some other important international organizations or cooperation mechanisms, ASEM has its own traits:

First, the Asia-Europe cooperation within the framework of ASEM basically demonstrates the principle of equality, notes Tang, adding that the tenet of ASEM is to establish a new partnership with equality as one of its most important factors.

Voicing that equality is the prerequisite of cooperation, Tang points out that many members in Asia and Europe have emphasized that Asia-Europe dialogue should be based on mutual respect, equality, the promotion of basic rights, the observation of the obligations laid down by international laws, and non-interference in other countries' internal affairs.

Tang cites that many Asian countries were once colonized by European powers, and China, for example, was reduced to a semi- colonial and semi-feudal society during the period of the latter half of the 19th century and the first half of the 20th century.

Through negotiations with the United Kingdom and Portugal, China resumed the exercise of its sovereignty over Hong Kong and Macao at the end of the 20th century, terminating once and for all the colonial history of western countries in Asia, continues Tang.

Since the end of the Cold War, he points out, it has become the common aspiration of the people all over the world to replace antagonism with dialogue, and confrontation with cooperation, and cooperation on the basis of equality between Asia and Europe manifests the advancement of history as well as being a sign of the times.

Secondly, Tang goes on to say, the Asia-Europe cooperation boasts a wide-ranging coverage and a large number of discussion topics, and the cooperation of ASEM is not just confined to the sphere of economy and trade, nor just to the Asia-Europe region.

Stating that apart from the fields of economy, trade and finance, cooperation can also be conducted in political dialogue, culture and other spheres as well. Tang says that both sides can exchange views on international and regional issues of their common concern.

As a matter of fact, many important international and regional issues such as economic globalization, cultural diversity, strengthening the role of the United Nations and maintaining the global strategic stability are all issues requiring Asia-Europe cooperation, stresses Tang.

Thirdly, the Asia-Europe cooperation is practical and effective, notes Tang, citing that ever since the founding of ASEM, both sides have unfolded a series of follow-up activities and reaped substantial results.

He lists the plan for facilitating Asia-Europe trade, the plan for promoting Asia-Europe investment, the trust fund aimed at helping Asian countries shake off the influence of the financial crisis and solidifying financial cooperation between each other. This happened during the first session of ASEM Technology Ministers' Meeting held in Beijing in October 1999, which mapped out the main objective and priority fields for Asia-Europe technological cooperation in the new century.

The Asia-Europe Foundation was launched in Singapore in 1997 to promote the academic, cultural and personnel exchanges between Asia and Europe, continues Tang.

All these activities have greatly propelled the development of Asia-Europe friendly and cooperative relations, Tang points out.

Tang says the ASEM is an important arena for China's foreign affairs, and Chinese President Jiang Zemin will make a keynote speech at the upcoming third ASEM Foreign Ministers' Meeting.

Former Chinese Premier Li Peng attended the first session of the ASEM summit, and Premier Zhu Rongji, the second and third sessions, Tang notes.

Senior Chinese officials in charge of foreign affairs, trade, finance and science and technology also attended the ministerial- level meetings of the ASEM, he adds.

Tang holds that China has valued, supported and taken an active part in the ASEM process and made full use of this channel for both dialogue and cooperation to serve its reform, opening up and economic development, under the guideline of practicality, seeking common ground while allowing differences to exist and expanding cooperation.

He notes that China has sponsored and is to host many international meetings over the year, referring to the China- Africa Cooperation Forum held in Beijing last October, and the Shanghai Five summit scheduled for June this year.

China is also the host country of the 2001 Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) meetings and the APEC informal leadership meeting, he adds.

Tang notes that the third ASEM foreign ministers meeting will open Thursday, saying the meeting will help promote mutual understanding between Asia and Europe, and inform the foreign ministers of other countries about China's achievement since the country started its reform and opening up.

He vows to work with his counterparts in an effort to make the third ASEM foreign ministers meeting a great success.

(People's Daily 05/24/2001)