1st LD Writethru: Xi raises four-point proposal for boosting cooperation between China, neighbors

Chinese President Xi Jinping said here Saturday that his country and its neighbors shoulder a historic responsibility to maintain Asian peace and stability.

In a four-pronged proposal, he called for concerted efforts to safeguard peace and tranquillity, dovetail development strategies, expand security cooperation and cement people-to-people amity.

Xi called on peoples of Asian countries to enhance mutual trust, never regard each other as enemies, and jointly safeguard regional peace and stability, so as to create favorable conditions for the countries' development and peoples' well-being.

Peoples of Asian countries should focus on promoting development, improving people's livelihood and helping each other, Xi said, urging them to explore fresh driving force for cooperation from their respective development strategies and chart the course for future cooperation to give a boost to each other's economic growth.

He called on peoples of Asian countries to practice Asian security outlook, coordinate efforts to improve regional security governance and jointly deal with traditional and non-traditional security issues.

"Disputes should be resolved through peaceful means and friendly negotiation and consultation," Xi pointed out, stressing equal emphasis on development and security.

He urged Asian countries to treat their neighbors on principles of respect, mutual trust, openness, inclusiveness and cooperation.

The Chinese president called on peoples of Asian countries to enhance collective recognition of Asia values, expand people-to-people exchanges, consolidate public foundation for good neighborliness and friendship.

Xi made the remarks in an address at the National University of Singapore during his two-day state visit to the Southeast Asian city-state. Endi