Economy and security - main theme of ASEM 9 conference
According to Xinhua News Agency, the 9th Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM 9) opening on November 5 in the Lao capital Vientiane will discuss a series of global challenges, notably economic and security issues.
(Source: laoembassyhanoi.org.vn)
With the theme "Friends for Peace, Partners for Prosperity," ASEM 9 will focus on economic debates in the context of a world economy still reeling, heavily affected by the international financial crisis that occurred four years ago.
The previous ASEM conference held in Brussels (Belgium) in 2010 also mainly discussed economic issues such as reforming the International Monetary Fund (IMF) after the European debt crisis and the strong recovery of Asian economies.
In its 2012 report, the IMF stressed: "The crisis in the Eurozone is deepening despite policy actions to address it."
From the European Union (EU) side, there are concerns about the response from Asia, especially China, and how cooperation can help solve the problem. Last October, at a conference in Bangkok, senior finance officials from Asia and Europe stressed that Asian economies will find it difficult to shake off the economic troubles of the West because Asia and Europe are so closely linked in international trade and investment.
Ahead of ASEM 9, Thailand's Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Kittiratt Na-Ranong commented: "With the continuing economic difficulties in some Eurozone countries, I believe that Asia-Europe cooperation is more important than ever."
Dr. Shen Xuhui, Associate Professor of Social Sciences at the Chinese University of Hong Kong, assessed that even if ASEM countries can jointly deal with the European debt crisis, a certain institutional framework needs to be gradually established within the current structure: "Currently, there is still a lack of institutional cooperation between the two continents. If one side has a crisis, it can ask for support from a partner institution. That can change the current political landscape on the global stage."
Stressing the need to further promote engagement between the East and the West, Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao has proposed strengthening cooperation among ASEM members.
ASEM 9 will also discuss issues of common concern such as food and energy security, climate change and the future direction of ASEM, a platform for dialogue between the two continents launched in 1996.
On the bilateral front, the Sino-Japanese tension over the sovereignty dispute over an archipelago in the East China Sea is also a topic of public concern because this conflict has begun to negatively impact bilateral economic relations, raising concerns that the clash between the two major Asian economies could harm global economic growth as well as cause security instability for the entire region.
Dr. Tham Tu Hoi commented: "Europe can be seen as a third party, providing help as well as complementary perspectives to act as an intermediary. This function can act as a bridge between the parties"./.
According to (TTXVN)-LT
