Chinese ambassador to Myanmar Ye Dabo has expressed belief that leaders of Asian countries could find more opportunities for cooperation in dealing with the global financial crisis at the upcoming annual "Boao Forum for Asia" to convey greater confidence and hope to Asia region and even worldwide.

Ambassador Ye made the remarks in an exclusive interview with Xinhua a day before he is to accompany Myanamr Prime Minister General Thein Sein for attending the Boao Forum for Asia in Boao, south China's Hainan Province scheduled for Friday to Sunday.

Ye said the theme of the Boao Forum for Asia this year is "Asia: Managing Beyond Crisis". At a time when the global financial crisis is sustainably extending and the impact of the crisis on Asian countries is continuously deepening, the forum this year has provided an important platform for leaders of respective countries to explore how to cope with the crisis, raise confidence and enhance the economic growth of Asia.

Citing the remarks of Premier Wen Jiabao which said "conquering crisis depends on confidence, cooperation and responsibilities", Ye stressed that this year's Boao forum for Asia would have a very important and realistic significance.

Ye pointed out that in dealing with the economic challenge, Myanmar not only encouraged more export but also actively launched economic cooperation with foreign countries, citing that during the March visit to Myanmar of Li Changchun, member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, the two countries signed certain bilateral economic and trade cooperation agreements relating to the exploitation of natural resources, construction of infrastructure, processing and installation among others.

Ye also said the Sino-Myanmar economic and trade cooperation has a good foundation with relative strongness in mutual supplementation and greater potential in development, adding that the two countries experienced the test of the crisis and yet it maintained a good trend of development.

He cited Chinese official statistics as saying that in 2008, China-Myanmar bilateral trade amounted to US$2.626 billion, up 26.4 percent correspondingly. China rose from the 6th position to the 4th in Myanmar's foreign investment line-up.

Ambassador Ye maintained that under the vast background that the current global economy is still descending, China and Myanmar are to expand cooperation in a wide ranges of sectors on the basis of equality and mutual interest to continue pushing the stead growth of bilateral trade and strengthen the exchange and cooperation in the two countries' financial mechanism which in turn contributes to the joint dealing with the global financial crisis and push ahead the continued development of the China-Myanmar neighborly, friendly and economic and trade ties.

Myanmar prime minister is due to leave Nay Pyi Taw on Thursday for the "Boao Forum for Asia".

(Xinhua News Agency April 16, 2009)