Eclolgical and environmental protection

Wen called for great attention to the impact of climate change on subregional cooperation and said all countries should enhance their ability to adapt to climate change.

The GMS should deepen environmental cooperation in the subregion, carry out the "GMS Biodiversity Conservation Corridor Initiative" and conduct cooperation in ecological restoration, poverty alleviation and protection of forest ecological system and biodiversity under this initiative, he said.

Human resources development 

In the next three years, under the GMS economic cooperation framework, China will provide training to 1,000 person times from the subregion countries to double the previous number, said Wen.

China will also increase government scholarships for countries in the subregion by 200 in 2008 to finance the study of students from these countries in institutes of higher learning in China's Yunnan Province, Guizhou Province and Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, he said.

Encouraging non-governmental participation in cooperation

Wen also said governments should form close partnership with business communities, be responsive to their views and encourage them to participate in subregional cooperation.

China will continue to sponsor the Lancangjiang-Mekong River Youth Friendship Program and include it in the framework of GMS economic cooperation.

Expanding financing channels

Wen hoped that the Asian Development Bank will further play its leading role in providing financing. He also said China encourages development partners to increase financial support and welcomes more countries and international organizations to become development partners, so that there will be stronger financial support for GMS's future cooperation.

China will continue to provide support to subregional cooperation according to its ability and is ready to work with other parties to explore new models of financing, the premier added.

(Xinhua News Agency March 31, 2008)