Opening of the Asia-Pacific Regional Roundtable Conference

On June 3, the 27th Asia-Pacific Roundtable Conference with the theme "The Shift in Asia's Strategization" opened in the capital Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

Speaking at the conference, Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak called on Asian countries to strengthen cooperation amid major challenges that could hamper growth and development in the region. He said that after the recent financial crisis in Europe, the world is shifting its focus to Asia - a region that is attracting increasing "brainpower", capital and resources.

Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak (center) and guests at the conference.
(Photo: THX/TTXVN)

However, Prime Minister Najib also pointed out that Asia is facing three important challenges including climate change, regional conflicts and finding a path to sustainable development.

Mr. Najib warned that these challenges are closely related to each other, so if Asian countries want to fulfill their commitments, they need to address these challenges by strengthening their commitment to cooperation and promoting connections not only with each other but also with other countries in the world.

Regarding climate change, the Malaysian Prime Minister said that this is the biggest challenge, not only changing weather patterns but also affecting water systems, food and security. Regarding potential conflicts in the region, Prime Minister Najib called on Asian countries to believe in diplomatic solutions when dealing with complex disagreements between countries.

On the final challenge, he said that Asia's development must ensure economic opportunity for all, growth not only in GDP but also in essential social infrastructure.

According to plan, during this 3-day conference, delegates from countries in the region will also discuss many other issues./.

According to (TTXVN) - DT