International Seminar on South Asia Development held in HK

Mr.Ju Mengjun gave a speech during the seminar held by Asia-Pacific Regional Bureau of Xinhua News Agency.Photo/APD

Thegovernmentofficials,expertsandscholarsfromIndia,Pakistan,Afghanistan,Nepal,Bangladesh,SriLanka,Maldives,andsomeotherSouthAsiancountries.Photo/APD

OnJune9th,thefirst International Seminar on SouthAsiaDevelopment hostedbyAsia-PacificRegionalBureau,XinhuaNewsAgencyisheldinHongKongRenaissanceHarborViewhotel.ThisforumwasorganizedbytheAsia-PacificDailyandNCN.

Theprincipleofthis seminar is,gatheringtogethertheexpertsandgovernmentofficersfromrelevantcountriesthroughexchangeandinteraction,tocarryoutwide-rangingandprofounddiscussionsoverthehotspotissuesandthedilemmasinSouthAsiansocialandeconomicdevelopment,soastopushforwardthewin-wincooperationanddevelopmentinthisregion.

Thegovernmentofficials,expertsandscholarsfromIndia,Pakistan,Afghanistan,Nepal,Bangladesh,SriLanka,Maldives,andsomeotherSouthAsiancountries,aswellasChinesescholarsonSouthAsiaissuesandtherepresentativefromChinesecorporationsinSouthAsia,carriedoutin-depthdiscussionsovermanyimportantsubjectsofSouthAsiansocialandeconomicissuesandculturedevelopment,suchasthepoliticalandthesecurityissuesofPakistanandAfghanistan,thedirectionofIndia'sinternalandexternalpoliciesinthenewadministration,aswellasChina'sroleinSouthAsianregionaldevelopment.

Duringhisremarks,Mr.JuMengjun,presidentofAsia-PacificRegionalBureauofXinhuaNewsAgencyandPresidentofAsia-PacificDaily,saidthatSouthAsiaisendowedwithlongandsplendidhistoryandculture,nurturedinvastoceanandland.SouthAsia,richinnaturalresourcesandresidedbyhardworkingandindigenouspeople,hasgreatpotential.SouthAsianpeoplelongforpeaceandstabilitywithastrongwilltodevelopthemselves.Thepurposeofthisforumistobuildaplatformforallpartiestoexchangeideas,poolourwisdomoverthecommonconcernsofSouthAsia'sdevelopmentandcarryoutprofounddiscussions,soastomakeourduecontributioninthepeace,stabilityandcooperationinSouthAsia.

Mr.JuMenghunsaid,duetothehistoricalandrealisticreasons,theethnicalandreligiousconflictsarecomplicatedinthisregion.Meanwhile,thewarinAfghanistanandpoliticalturbulenceinsomeothercountriesmaketheregionaleconomicgrowthevenslower.Byfaritisstilloneofthepoorestregionsintheglobe.IntheAsia-Pacificregion,comparedwithASEANandsomeotherregionalorganizations,thedevelopmentinSAARCcountriesandtheintegrationinSouthAsiaremaincomparativelyslow.Therefore,waystomaintainlong-termpeaceandstabilityinthisregionandtofacilitateitseconomicgrowthhavealwaysbeenimportantconcernsoftheworld.

ThespeakersfromChinaalsopointedout,thefriendshipbetweenChinaandSouthAsiancountriesdatesbackalongtime.Thecountriesaregeographicallyclosetoeachother,culturallyconnected,andemotionallyempathetictoeachother.ChinaandSouthAsiaarefacingthecommonissuesofmaintainingnationalstability,promotingeconomicgrowth,andimprovingpeople'slivelihood.ThepopulationofChinaandSouthAsiatogetheraccountsforonethirdoftheworld'stotal,therefore,ourrelationsareincreasinglymorestrategicandinfluentialglobally.IthasalreadybecomeourcommonwishestoproperlydealwiththechangingclimateinternationallyandthecomplicatedchallengesinAsia,buildapeacefulandstableenvironment,allofwhichrequireourfurthercooperation.Everyoneagreesthat,thisforumwillplayapositiveroleindeepeningChina-SouthAsiamutualunderstanding,andpushingforwardbothofourexchangesinallaspects.

Thedistinguishedspeakersandguestsattendedthisforumincludes,Mr.MustafaHyderSayed,ExecutiveDirectorofthePakistan-ChinaInstitute,Mr.LeelaManiPaudyal,ChiefSecretaryoftheGovernmentofNepal,Mr.RashedAlMahmudTitumir,ChairpersonofUnnayanOnneshan,AssociateProfessoroftheDepartmentofDevelopmentStudies,DhakaUniversity,Mr.AsangaAbeyagoonasekera,ExecutiveDirectorofLakshamanKadirgamarInstituteforInternationalRelationsandStrategicStudies,AdvisertoMinisterofExternalAffairs,Mr.YeHailin,ChiefofSouthAsiaStudiesCenter,ChineseAcademyofSocialSciences,Mr.SultanAhmadBaheen,DirectorGeneralof3rdPoliticalDepartmentofAfghanForeignMinistry,Afghanistan'sformerAmbassadortoChina,Mr.XuShaokun,AssistantManagerofInternationalEngineeringDepartment,China19thMetallurgicalCorporation,HeadoftheMCC19AfghanistanProject,Mr.TarunBasu,President,Indo-AsianNewsService.

Thespeechesinclude:“Pakistan-ChinaEconomicCorridorandtheAsianCentury,“ChinaandSouthAsia:ProspectandChallenges,“Sino-Bangladesh-IndoTriangle:Perceptions,Paradoxes,andProspects,“MaritimeSilkRoad:OpportunitiesforSouthAsianDevelopment,“China’sNewConceptofRegionalCooperation,“TheDifficultiesfacedbyChineseEnterprisesinAfghanistan,“WillIndia'sNewGovernmentleadtoBetterSouthAsianCooperation?ProblemsandProspects.

Itisaone-dayforum,anditisalsoattendedbytheconsulgeneralsofrelevantSouthAsiancountriestoHongKong.