Premier Li calls for enhanced innovation cooperation among regional parties

Chinese Premier Li Qiang on Wednesday called for enhanced innovation cooperation among regional parties to foster more new economic growth points.

Addressing the 26th ASEAN Plus Three (APT) Summit in Jakarta, Li called on regional countries to place development at a prominent place on the regional cooperation agenda.

As the world is entering a new period of turbulence and change, the cause of global development faces great challenges, he noted.

Li called for removing all kinds of disturbances, tapping the potential of cooperation, and striving to find a path of development that is more stable, dynamic and beneficial to all.

He said taking the implementation of the newest APT Cooperation Work Plan as an opportunity, China stands ready to work with all parties to jointly build an economic growth center and focus on three priorities.

The first thing, he said, is to continue to promote regional economic integration, unleash the dividends of the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP), vigorously promote the free flow of factors of production, and promote the expansion and upgrading of trade and investment.

It is hoped that all parties will support Hong Kong’s accession to the agreement as the first batch of new members, Li added.

“Second, we should continue to deepen regional industrial division and coordination, uphold the spirit of openness and win-win cooperation, continue to leverage geographical proximity and economic complementarity and other advantages, and promote the optimization and upgrading of regional industrial and supply chains in a stable manner,” Li said.

Noting that the third thing is to strengthen the leading role of scientific and technological innovation, Li said that China is ready to deepen innovation cooperation with other parties on the digital economy, clean energy and new energy vehicles to jointly promote the development of emerging industries and foster more new economic growth points.

‘China on track to meet growth target’

Li said the Chinese economy is on track to realize the annual growth target of around 5 percent.

Noting that China is advancing high-quality development in Chinese modernization on all fronts, he said the Chinese economy enjoys bright prospects and will continue to generate fresh and greater opportunities for the region and the rest of the world.

On Japan’s nuclear-contaminated water release

Addressing the summit, Li clarified China’s position on the issue of the discharge of nuclear-contaminated water from Japan’s Fukushima nuclear plant and called on Japan to handle the matter responsibly.

The disposal of nuclear-contaminated water concerns the global marine ecological environment and people’s health, he said.

Li called on Japan to faithfully fulfill its international obligations, fully consult with its neighbors and related stakeholders and handle the nuclear-contaminated water in a responsible manner.(CGTN)

(With input from Xinhua)