Senior diplomat calls on "Asian approach of friendship and consultation"

Senior Chinese diplomat Liu Jianchao has called on Asian countries to "adhere to the Asian approach of friendship and consultation", properly handle sensitive regional issues, and jointly guard the bottom line of the region's peace and stability.

Liu, minister of the International Department of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, made the remarks in a speech at a dialogue in Singapore on Wednesday.

Asia accounts for nearly 60 percent of the world's population, nearly 40 percent of the world's total economic output and more than 30 percent of international trade, and it has become a high ground of development and an engine of growth for the world economy, Liu said.

"Every choice Asia makes will have a significant impact on the world," he said.

He emphasized the need to resolutely oppose protectionism, to build the Belt and Road with a high-quality approach and to jointly promote regional integration.

Countries should deepen the synergy between their development strategies, seize new opportunities brought by the new round of scientific and technological revolution and reform in industries, and jointly realize high-quality development, he said.

In addition, countries should firmly follow the development path with Asian characteristics, and they should jointly push forward the modernization process in Asia, he added.

Liu noted that China has played an important role as an engine in the development of the region.

Recently, China held the annual two sessions and announced that it would introduce a slew of new policies to further stabilize economic growth, boost the quality and quantity of its foreign trade, increase its appeal to foreign investors, and facilitate the entry of expatriates into China, he noted.

"We are confident that we can make China's economy even better, so that China's development can better benefit the region's countries," he said.

According to the diplomat, the CPC maintains contacts of various forms with more than 600 political parties and political organizations in more than 160 countries around the world.

"We are willing to strengthen contacts and exchanges with Singapore's political parties, think tanks, media, enterprises and youths, so as to make new contributions to China-Singapore relations and the common development of Asian countries," he said.