Chinese Foreign Minister Li Zhaoxing said in Shanghai Wednesday that the Shanghai Declaration just adopted at the 60th Session of the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP) will become a new start for ESCAP in its future work.

Li, also chairman of the session, told a press conference after the closing ceremony of the ESCAP conference that the ESCAP Shanghai conference has adopted a series of documents including the Shanghai Declaration, which will be of great significance for the future development of the Shanghai-originated UN body.

Li said that as a unique comprehensive economic and social organization in the Asia-Pacific region, the ESCAP has made long-term efforts and achieved great progress in promoting regional economic and social development.

Li also expressed the hope that the ESCAP can make further reform in line with the times, so as to play a greater role in helping the region resolve the issues confronted in the process of globalization and achieve sustainable economic and social development, thus becoming a strong partner for all countries of the region in promoting regional cooperation and development.

(Xinhua News Agency April 29, 2004)