Li Keqiang attended the 13th Asia-Europe Summit

On the afternoon of November 25, 2021, Premier Li Keqiang attended the 13th Asia-Europe Summit in the Great Hall of the People and delivered an introductory speech. Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen presided over the meeting. Leaders from 53 members and heads of international organizations attended the meeting. The meeting was held by video.

Li Keqiang said that this year marks the 25th anniversary of the establishment of the Asia-Europe Meeting. Over the past 25 years, the political mutual trust among ASEM members has continued to increase, and exchanges and cooperation have continued to deepen. President Xi Jinping proposed that all countries should work together to promote the building of a community with a shared future for mankind. At present, the international situation is evolving profoundly, the impact of the new crown pneumonia epidemic is far-reaching, the world economy is recovering tortuously, and hotspot issues are one after another. The theme of this conference is “strengthening multilateralism and promoting common growth”, which is of great practical significance.

Li Keqiang pointed out that adhering to multilateralism is the correct choice for maintaining world peace and stability. All countries should maintain the international system with the United Nations as the core and the international order based on international law, and jointly maintain world peace and stability with a broader world perspective, a longer history, and a more conscious international responsibility.

Li Keqiang said that in the face of the challenge of the epidemic, it is necessary to strengthen cooperation in vaccine and drug research and development, and jointly improve the global public health governance system. Countries in the post-epidemic recovery must strive to achieve mutual promotion of development and transformation. As the world‘s largest developing country, China needs to make arduous efforts to realize low-carbon development and green transformation in the modernization process. We must uphold the spirit of openness, tolerance, and win-win cooperation, adhere to integrated and linked development, accelerate the construction of a network of “fast channels” for personnel exchanges and “green channels” for the circulation of goods, and maintain the stability and smoothness of the global industrial chain supply chain.

Li Keqiang pointed out that adhering to exchanges and mutual learning is an important way to promote mutual understanding between people in Asia and Europe. It is necessary to strengthen exchanges in various fields such as education, culture, tourism, sports, think tanks, and media to increase understanding, seek common ground while reserving differences, learn from each other’s strengths, and make progress together. China will continue to support the Asia-Europe Fund and is willing to host an exchange camp for young leaders from Asia and Europe. All parties in Asia and Europe are welcome to participate actively.

Li Keqiang emphasized that in the face of difficulties and challenges, as long as Asian and European countries continue to uphold the spirit of mutual respect, equal treatment, and win-win cooperation, and work together to build a strong engine for common development and common prosperity, they will surely be able to create a new situation in Asia-Europe cooperation. We welcome the new future of Asian and European countries.

Representatives of the participating parties stated that the Asia-Europe Meeting, as an important multilateral platform, played an important role in deepening cooperation among Asian and European countries, strengthening Asia-Europe partnership, and safeguarding multilateralism and international order. In the context of the new crown pneumonia epidemic, all parties should further deepen the Asia-Europe partnership in the spirit of mutual respect, consensus, mutual benefit and win-win results, jointly respond to international and regional challenges, maintain world peace, and promote common development. We must join hands to fight the epidemic, strengthen multilateralism, maintain the multilateral trading system with the World Trade Organization at its core, and ensure the security and stability of the global industrial chain and supply chain. Seize the opportunity of the fourth industrial revolution, expand cooperation in areas such as innovation, digital economy, and connectivity, and jointly address global challenges such as poverty reduction, public health, and climate change, and promote world economic recovery and sustainable and inclusive growth, and better Benefit the people of all countries in the region.