Some 440 deputies from European and Asian civil groups and non-governmental organizations began the sixth Asia-Europe People's Forum on Monday to address issues of common interest.

Peace and security, economic security and social rights, and democracy and human rights are major topics of the forum with the main theme being, "People's Vision-building Solidarity Across Asia and Europe."

The three-day forum is being held before the sixth Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM), which will also take place in Helsinki on Sept. 10-11.

Su Zuhui, scholar of China's Research Center of the Contemporary World, addressed at a seminar on the relationship between the Free Trade Agreement (FTA) and China.

The development of the FTA was mainly attributed to the current stalemate in multilateral trade talks, said Su. "At present and within a fairly long period in the future, the FTA will be a promotion and supplement for the multilateral trade system," he added.

Su said that China, on the one hand, attached great importance to the multilateral trade system, and on the other hand, actively held talks with relevant nations and regions on signing the FTA.

Source: Xinhua