Asia-Pacific countries should intensify cooperation to maintain peace and stability in the region, said China's top legislator, Wu Bangguo, in Beijing Monday.  

Wu, chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress (NPC), was speaking at the opening of the 12th annual meeting of the Asia-Pacific Parliamentary Forum (APPF).

China would work with all other countries in the Asia-Pacific to promote regional peace and development, said Wu.

China had consistently followed an independent foreign policy of peace, stressing friendship and partnership with its neighbors, regional cooperation and exchanges, and friendly cooperation, said Wu.

The three-day meeting sponsored by China aims to strengthen peace and stability in the Asia-Pacific region.

Wu said peace and stability were a prerequisite for development. The overwhelming majority of countries gave top priority to economic recovery and development, he said.

However, said Wu, regional peace and security still faced many challenges and the security situation was very complex as traditional and non-traditional security issues intertwined.

In view of the common interest of all Asia-Pacific countries in maintaining regional stability, easing tensions and resolving disputes, it was an unshirkable mission endowed by history for national parliaments and governments to work for a peaceful and secure regional and international environment.

Wu said all cooperation mechanisms and channels in this region must be fully tapped to step up consultation and dialogue to jointly safeguard regional peace and stability.

Wu said the Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence and other universally-recognized norms governing international relations were the political basis for maintaining peace. Dialogue on an equal footing, consultation and negotiation were appropriate to settle disputes and maintain peace.

Countries were interdependent in their security, said Wu, stressing that no country could obtain real security without cooperation with the rest of the world.

Changes in the international situation and progress in human civilization called for a new international political and economic order that could address the common interests of most countries and peoples, said Wu.

Wu said China proposed the establishment of a new security concept, featuring mutual trust, mutual benefit, equality and cooperation, gradually changing and redressing inadequacies and injustices in the existing order and facilitating greater democracy in international relations.

Wu said all countries should transcend differences in ideology, social systems and religious beliefs and increase understanding through equal dialogue and friendly cooperation. It was important to safeguard United Nations authority in international affairs and to back the leading role of the UN in dealing with major international issues.

(Xinhua News Agency January 13, 2004)