China Voice: Striving for new Asia

SHANGHAI - The strategic concept of jointly building a "new Asia of peace, stability and cooperation" offers a road for Asian people to realize their common dreams.

This common understanding of Asia has been highlighted by the keynote speech of Chinese President Xi Jinping and leaders of other Asian countries at the fourth summit of the Conference on Interaction and Confidence Building Measures in Asia in Shanghai on Wednesday.

New Asia will be a home of peace. In the past, Asia was one of the regions which suffered most from wars. And today, there remain conflicts in this land. However, the five principles of peaceful coexistence, jointly initiated by China, India and Myanmar in the 1950s, will continue to be the basic norm in international relations.

One cannot endanger others to serve his own interests. New Asia will be a land where "relatives and neighbors have good wishes for each other" instead of a battlefield where victory or defeat must emerge through force.

Peaceful Asia will benefit 67 percent of the world's population and explore new ways to end the vicious circle of conflicts for the globe.

New Asia should be an example of stability. Turbulence used to bring hardships to Asian people. Now, Asia is a region with the most development vigor and potential. Its economic volume accounts for one third of the world and is forecast to exceed 50 percent in 2030.

The new concept for the continent is most interested in accelerating economic development, reducing the gap between rich and poor and making people prosperous and countries strong.

Without stability, all this will be only a dream. Past turmoils deprived Asia of golden opportunities for development. The stability of the region will contribute to consolidating world peace, and the rejuvenation of Asia means the rebirth of the world.

New Asia will witness comprehensive and close cooperation. Asia is the cradle of Christianity, Islam and Buddhism, and of ancient Chinese, Indian and Mesopotamian civilizations.

The ancient Silk Road connected cultures and religions. New Asia will be a united rather than separated continent, where nations and peoples seek harmonious coexistence and strengthen strategic mutual trust through dialogue and communication.

To achieve this dream means meeting severe challenges, such as security. The security issue in Asia is very complicated. A concept of common, comprehensive, cooperative and sustainable security is a must.

Solid mechanisms and platforms are necessary for the realization of security. And that is the expected landmark significance of this summit.

The pursuit of new Asia can be regarded as a concentration of the great goal of Asian revival or self-improvement. But it is not a simple historic return to the glory of Asia prior to the industrial revolution and its colonized past.

It is a future restructuring of open Asia, with economic globalization and a new technological revolution.

The form of new Asia will not necessarily be like the European communities or European Union. But it must build de-facto "Asian communities" through incorporation of diversities, equal dialogue, cooperation and win-win results, for the welfare of local people.

The future of Asia lies in the hands of Asians themselves. As a big power in Asia, China will shoulder its proper responsibilities and work together with other countries to realize the Asian dream of lasting peace and common prosperity.

Asia is at a historic juncture. New Asia will be a story of not only rapid economic growth, but also a rejuvenation legend of liberating and renovating people's minds and ideas, which include their new concepts on security and development.

Asia is embarking on a new journey and entering a new era.