President Hu Jintao made a three-point proposal in Jakarta Thursday on strengthening cooperation between Asia and Africa.

Having arrived in Jakarta Thursday afternoon, Hu said in a speech at the official dinner reception of the Asian-African Business Summit 2005 that Asian and African countries must seize opportunities, strengthen cooperation to cope with challenges in a globalized world and seek common development.

He said that the nations should share their experiences and draw upon the achievements of civilization to develop their economies against a background of expanding globalization, which offers both rare opportunities and severe challenges.

"We should open up our markets to one another, actively work for free trade arrangements, and coordinate our economic and trade policies. We should work together to raise funds for development, deepen industrial cooperation and guard against financial risks," said Hu.

He noted that contacts between regional organizations with a view to improving South-South cooperation are equally important.

"A fair and rational new international economic order featuring mutual benefit is not only the common aspiration of all developing countries, but a prerequisite for sustainable development," he stated.

He proposed that developing countries coordinate their efforts in urging developed countries to show more concern for the interests of those that are less developed with such concrete steps as debt alleviation and no-strings-attached development assistance.

The president also discussed promoting North-South dialogue and cooperation and supporting the coordinating role of the United Nations on development issues.

(Xinhua News Agency April 22, 2005)