Asian and European leaders have wrapped up their Beijing summit, promising swift, responsive measures to deal with the financial meltdown, and to promote global economic growth. During the two-day meeting, they also talked about several other pressing global issues.
Premier Wen Jiabao says the summit has achieved its planned target and reached consensus on a number of issues, and cooperation proposals.
The Premier says the summit put international financial issue on top of its agenda. ASEM members have pledged to take swift responsive measures to promote global economic growth.
Wen Jiabao says, "These outcomes demonstrate the willingness and resolution of the respective parties to overcome the crisis through international cooperation. They will help step up information sharing, strengthen market confidence, stabilize financial status and improve supervision mechanisms. The outcomes will provide a solid safeguard for realizing stable and healthy development of the Asian, European and world economies."
Other major concerns are food security and disaster relief cooperation.
Wen says, "ASEM members pledge to adopt comprehensive, medium and long term measures jointly to safeguard food security. We will continue to provide aid to disaster-hit nations and to conduct disaster management and reconstruction cooperation."
The two-day summit has also seen consensus built on other issues like climate change, energy security and cross-cultural dialogue.
ASEM members represent three fifths of the world's population and produce half of the global GDP. Joint action is crucial in addressing the global financial crisis and economic downturn. The consensus reached in Beijing will certainly help pave the way for the international summit next month in Washington.
(CCTV October 26, 2008)
