The 12th annual meeting of the Asia-Pacific Parliamentary Forum concluded in Beijing Wednesday with the adoption of a joint communique.  

According to the joint communique, Chinese President Hu Jintao met with the heads of delegations. During the meeting, Hu spoke highly of the effective work of the APPF in the 11 years since its inception as well as the achievements of this annual meeting which helped enhance understanding and expand areas of consensus.

Hu emphasized that China would continue to promote friendship and partnership with its neighbors, and work together with Asia-Pacific countries to create a peaceful, cooperative and harmonious regional environment.

The joint communique mentioned that Wu Bangguo, chairman of the Standing Committee of the Chinese National People's Congress, addressed the opening ceremony.

Wu pointed out that while the Asia Pacific region was facing good opportunities, it also had to meet severe challenges in its endeavor to safeguard peace and promote development.

Wu proposed that parliaments of all Asia-Pacific countries, particularly the young parliamentarians, should intensify exchanges so as to learn and benefit from each other's experience.

According to the joint communique, the annual meeting held in depth discussion on four main topics: political and security issues, economic issues, cooperation for the stability, prosperity of the region and future work of APPF.

The joint communique says the meeting accepted the resignation of Yasuhiro Nakasone from the presidency of the APPF and invited him to continue to serve as the Honorary Chairman of the APPF.

The APPF will change the arrangements for presidency from election to a rotating presidency appointed by the host of the next annual meeting.

It also decided that the 13th annual meeting will be held in Hanoi, Vietnam in January 2005.

The APPF is a regional inter-parliamentary organization.

APPF meeting records fruitful achievements

The 12th annual meeting of the APPF recorded more fruitful achievements than previous meetings, said APPF Honorary Chairman Yasuhiro Nakasone in Beijing Wednesday.

Nakasone said at a press conference held after the closing ceremony of the meeting that the meeting reached extensive consensus and adopted 25 resolutions on such issues as combating terrorism, transnational crimes, and some important international and regional affairs.

Nakasone said the parliamentarians will take these resolutions to their countries and make concerted efforts with the governments to put the resolutions into practice.

Lu Congmin, director in charge of the organizing work of the meeting and vice chairman of the Foreign Affairs Committee of China's National People's Congress, said the parliamentary exchanges have special advantages of rich contents and variable methods.

The successful staging of the meeting indicates that parliamentarians were able to express their opinion in the international arena and to make a contribution to regional peace and stability, Lu said.

The meeting, held in Beijing from Jan. 12 to 14, accepted former Japanese Prime Minister Yasuhiro Nakasone's resignation from the APPF presidency, and invited him to serve as honorary chairman.

As an initiator of the APPF, the 86-year-old Yasuhiro Nakasone has served as APPF president since 1993.

(Xinhua News Agency January 15, 2004)