Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao Wednesday emphasized that East Asian countries should join hands in turning their cooperation into a transparent and open process so as to achieve progress for all countries and development in all regions.

Addressing the First East Asia Summit, held in this Malaysian capital, which was attended by leaders from about 13 countries, Wen said the cooperation should not be "closed, exclusive and directed against any particular party."

"China takes the position that in pursuing regional cooperation, it is imperative to be open minded and promote open regionalism so as to achieve progress for all countries and development in all regions," he said.

He said cooperation in East Asia has just got off the ground and has a long way to go.

"Only by drawing upon the experience of other regions with an open mind and accommodating attitude can we ensure that the nascent East Asia cooperation process will be a sustainable and dynamic one," said Wen, who arrived here on Sunday for the summit.

"By making East Asia cooperation an open and transparent process, we can build consensus, give full play to diversity and accelerate regional cooperation," the Chinese premier said, after acknowledging that countries in East Asia vary in national conditions, culture and traditions, mode of development and stage of development.

"Both history and reality have told us that East Asia cannot develop itself in isolation from the rest of the world. We should strive to promote regional cooperation participated by countries in this region, with distinctive features of this region and suited to the need of this region," he said.

Wen also emphasized that East Asia should continue to support the Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN) in playing the leading role in East Asia cooperation and give due consideration to the legitimate interests of the non-East Asian countries in that region so as to gain their understanding of and support for East Asia cooperation.

He said China believes that the participation of India, Australia and New Zealand in the East Asia cooperation process will give great scope to further cooperation.

"We look forward to working with these three countries to advance East Asia development and cooperation," he said. "We welcome the participation of Russia to the East Asia Summit."

"The United States, the European Union and other countries and organizations outside the region are also welcome to develop relations with the East Asia cooperation mechanism," he added.

He also pledged that China will support the East Asia cooperation mechanism in maintaining coordination with mechanisms such as the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, the ASEAN Regional Forum, the Asia Cooperation Dialogue and the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation.

"We should create a new situation in which various regional cooperation mechanisms give full play to their respective strengths, reinforce each other and enjoy common development," he added.

Source: Xinhua