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Ambassador Liu Xiaoming Delivered A Keynote Speech on Building towards A Harmonious Northeast Asia
2007-09-11 00:00

On September 10, Mr. Liu Xiaoming, Chinese Ambassador to the DPRK, delivered a keynote speech entitled "Opportunities and Challenges: Building towards A Harmonious Northeast Asia" at a conferment dinner and ceremony held by Tufts University and the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy at the Diaoyutai State Guest House in Beijing.

Ambassador Liu Delivering Keynote Speech

Ambassador Liu first thanked Tufts University and the Fletcher School for awarding him the "Fletcher Dean's Medal", and extended his warmest congratulations on the 75th anniversary of the founding of the Fletcher School. He said that the world has changed tremendously in the past 75 years. Peace, economic development and cooperation are the main themes of our time, but they have not been fully addressed or resolved. What kind of world we should take into the 21st century is an important issue not only relevant today but even more pressing. The initiative by Chinese President Hu Jintao-that international communities make concerted efforts to build a harmonious world with lasting peace and common prosperity-has received world-wide attention and recognition. This initiative should become the leading principle for handling international relations and promoting common development, as well as a common goal pursued by all the countries in the world.

Ambassador Liu said that the harmonious world can never be realized without the building of harmonious regions. Northeast Asia is an area of crucial significance for the peace, security and development of the Asia-Pacific region and the world at large. It will be of far-reaching impact for the interests of the region and even the world to build a harmonious Northeast Asia. To achieve such a goal, all countries in the region should politically respect each other and pursue compatibility while preserving diversity; militarily, the countries of this region should build mutual trust and jointly maintain security; economically, they should seek mutual cooperation and common development; culturally, they should respect and learn from each other.

Ambassador Liu pointed out that in order to build such a harmonious Northeast Asia, we need to address both current problems and long-term challenges: the Cold War specter still lingers; the nuclear issue on the Peninsula remains a sword of Damocles; the lack of strategic trust among countries weakens the bases for long-term regional cooperation; the development of a multilateral security mechanism lags far behind other regions; economic integration of the region is still at a very low level.

While the challenges are tough and real, Ambassador Liu emphasized that we also benefit from a historic opportunity-the best since the end of WWII-to achieve lasting peace and durable prosperity in Northeast Asia. First, there is now a consensus, and it is a policy priority, for countries in the region to work together to achieve regional peace and security. Second, with the Six-party Talks having made important progress, the nuclear issue of the Peninsula is brought back onto a sound and steady track. Third, efforts to push forward a Peninsula peace process and to build a Northeast Asian security mechanism are getting more and more vibrant. Fourth, openness, exchanges and cooperation are replacing suspicion, seclusion and confrontation as the mainstream feature of bilateral relations in the region. Fifth, aspirations for economic cooperation are getting higher among regional countries.

Ambassador Liu Addressing Regional Issues

Ambassador Liu said that China and the U.S. should work together with regional countries to take up the historic mission of building a harmonious Northeast Asia. China-U.S. cooperation in Asia and especially in Northeast Asia is an important part of the constructive and cooperative relationship between the two countries. With common interests in realizing denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula, maintaining regional peace and stability, and promoting economic development and cooperation, the two countries should work together to build a harmonious Northeast Asia. Ambassador Liu also put forward some concrete proposals on strengthening China-U.S. cooperation in Northeast Asia.

Ambassador Liu recalled that Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao made an appeal during his visit to the Republic of Korea earlier this year that the countries in the region should, on the basis of mutual understanding and mutual trust, strive to build a new and harmonious Northeast Asia. He believes this prospect envisioned by Premier Wen is also the aspiration shared by all Northeast Asian countries. Ambassador Liu called on the regional countries to seize the historic opportunities and take up the challenges in building a stable, peaceful, prosperous and harmonious Northeast Asia.

Warm Response from Audience

The speech was well received. One audience said that Ambassador Liu did a good job in giving an overall and thoroughgoing review of the regional situation and an in-depth explanation of China's policy for pursuing a harmonious Northeast Asia, which is an embodiment at the regional level of the Chinese foreign policy thinking of building a harmonious world. Another audience said the speech helped the outside world with a better understanding of the initiative put forward by President Hu Jintao and how it has become one of the centerpieces of China's foreign policy. There is a broad consensus among the audience that Northeast Asia is now faced with very good opportunities for peace and economic development, which is in common and long-term interest of all countries in the region. Regional countries including China and the U.S should seize opportunities and consolidate their cooperation in pursuing harmonious development in Northeast Asia.

(President Bosworth Presenting to Ambassador Liu Xiaoming the "Flecther Dean's Medal" )

About 100 people attended the conferment dinner and ceremony. Among them were Mr. Bacow, President of Tufts University, Mr. Bosworth, Dean of the Fletcher School, members of Tufts University Board of Trustees, deans of Tufts University and Fletcher alumni from various countries.

Ambassador Liu and his wife Talking with Mr. Bacow and Mr. Bosworth

Ambassador Liu  Talking with alumni 

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