East Asia Summit should stick to its nature of "leaders-led strategic forum": Chinese FM

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said here on Thursday that the East Asia Summit (EAS) should stick to its nature of "leaders-led strategic forum," at which mutual understanding and trust could be enhanced by strengthening strategic dialogue.

At the EAS Foreign Ministers Meeting here, Wang said that as one of the regional cooperation mechanisms, the EAS, grouping world's major countries, is not only a big platform for promoting cooperation in East Asia, but also a great bridge connecting regional cooperation between the Pacific Ocean and the Indian Ocean.

Wang said that over the past 10 years, the EAS has actively promoted strategic dialogues between its members, and enhanced cooperation in such key areas as energy, environment protection, finance, education, public health and disaster management, and its regional influence and role keep increasing.

The Chinese minister suggested the EAS actively promote regional economic integration and enhance cooperation in non- traditional fields such as anti-terrorism, climate change, disaster control and cyber security.

He also said the EAS should promote political and security dialogue and get rid of cold war mentality to create a new path to Asian security, and it also should explore the way to establish think tank networks, boosting its ties with Boao Forum so as to provide intellectual support for the future development of the summit.

All parties at the meeting spoke highly of the summit's positive role in promoting strategic communication and regional peace, stability and development, and they believed that facing new challenges in regional economy and security, the EAS should future enhance cooperation in finance, education, health, disaster relief, anti-terrorism, among others. Endi