国内英语新闻:Premier's Vietnam trip boosts friendship, cooperation, common development: FM

STRENGTHENING UNITY AND COOPERATION, PROMOTING REGIONAL PEACE AND DEVELOPMENT

Yang said the overall situation in East Asia is stable, with the economy in the region taking the lead to stabilize and recover, regional cooperation keeping a good momentum of growth, and various mechanisms being under development.

China is one of the countries that initiated and supported cooperation in East Asia, and is the advocate and beneficiary of East Asia cooperation, he said.

Premier Wen said that the process of East Asia integration has to respect and take into account the real situations of various parties and their major concerns.

Wen said that while the centrality of ASEAN must be respected in the process, it is also necessary to make efforts for the existing mechanisms to play their roles, such as the summit between China and ASEAN (10+1), the summit between ASEAN, China, Japan and South Korea (10+3) and the summit of China, Japan and South Korea.

At the ASEAN Plus Three summit, Wen said there is a need to push ahead the establishment of an East Asia Free Trade Area, deepen cooperation in finance, food security and strengthen coordination on major international issues.

"Stronger ASEAN Plus Three cooperation is essential to the revitalization of East Asia," Wen said.

At the summit of China, Japan, South Korea, Wen noted the progress of cooperation among the three nations and its important significance to the peace and prosperity of East Asia.

Wen said China will make efforts for the completion of the negotiations on the establishment of the tripartite Free Trade Area (FTA) on time to enhance cooperation among the three countries.

China, Japan and South Korea have decided to sign a tripartite investment agreement as soon as possible and complete the joint FTA study involving the governments, industries, and academia by 2012.

The correct direction of the tripartite cooperation should be firmly kept from a strategic perspective, Wen added.

Addressing the the Fifth East Asia Summit, Wen summarized the experience that the summit has accumulated for expanding regional cooperation, stressing the established gist, nature and principles of the East Asia Summit have to be upheld, its status as a strategic forum "led by leaders" has to be maintained, and the leading role of ASEAN has to be respected.

Wen also welcomed Russia and the United States' participation in the summit, expressing the hope that the two countries would play constructive roles.

Leaders attending the summit made positive responses to Wen's initiatives and proposals and appreciated the important contributions made by China to pushing East Asia cooperation, Yang said.

They expressed their willingness to further deepen their friendly cooperation with China and advance the process of East Asia integration further, Yang said.