Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao on Sunday exchanged views with leaders of East Asia at the 4th East Asia Summit on regional cooperation and other issues of common concern.

Wen was at the summit with Japanese Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama, South Korean President Lee Myung-bak, Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd, New Zealand Prime Minister John Key and leaders of the members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN).

Wen said East Asian countries should work together to tackle the global financial crisis, climate change, energy and food security, disease and poverty.

The countries in the region should also, in line with the principles of mutual respect and good-neighborliness, make efforts to properly resolve their disputes in the interest of regional peace and stability.

They should, with a spirit of openness and tolerance and in a step-by-step manner, work for consensus and move toward the long-term goal of establishing an East Asian community, while having due respect for diversity, he said.

Relations between China and its neighbors have become increasingly closer over the past 60 years, Wen said, noting China's role in the ever growing regional cooperation in East Asia.

East Asia has also become one of the most dynamic regions in terms of economic development. Links among countries in the region have reached an unprecedented level, Wen said.

China, still a developing nation, will do its utmost to promote common and sustainable development, he said.

The leaders at the summit exchanged views on tackling challenges such as the global financial crisis and climate change, and on strengthening cooperation in food and energy security and disaster management.

Thai Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva, who chaired the meeting, said East Asian countries should push forward regional cooperation in an open and sustainable way with due respect for differences.

They should work together to tackle the global financial crisis by adopting further measures to lend support to the economic recovery and taking measures to ensure financial stability, he said.

Abhisit also called on the countries to strengthen cooperation to boost connectivity, push for the establishment of the East Asia free trade area and fight trade protectionism.

Coordination should also be enhanced in efforts to reform the international financial system, he said.

Wen pledged government scholarships for an additional 2,000 candidates and 200 Master of Public Management candidates from the developing countries at the summit in the next five years.

The premier and the ASEAN leaders also witnessed the signing of a memorandum of understanding (MOU) between China and ASEAN on the establishment of a China-ASEAN center and two MOUs on China-ASEAN cooperation in intellectual property and technological standards respectively.

Wen also attended the signing ceremony for a framework agreement on economic cooperation in the east ASEAN growth region between China and the ASEAN countries of Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia and the Philippines.

Wen and Abhisit witnessed the signing of an agreement on financing for the Mekong River Bridge.