Chinese premier attends Greater Mekong Subregion summit

VIENTIANE, March 31 (Xinhua) -- Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao on Monday attended the Third Summit of the Greater Mekong Subregion (GMS) and called on GMS member countries to focus on enhancing competitiveness through greater connectivity in the subregion.

At the summit, the Chinese premier and prime ministers from other GMS members -- Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, Thailand and Vietnam-- focused their discussion on ways of enhancing competitiveness, strengthening connectivity and promoting community consciousness within the GMS.

Addressing the summit, Wen said the subregion is in its best period of development in history, marked by a great improvement in the member nations' self-development capability, closer and more harmonious relations between them and the growing popularity of the concept of building a harmonious community of countries in the subregion.

Wen called for strengthened unity and closer cooperation and for efforts to improve their ability to ward off risks, adding that member countries should adhere to the path of common development and prosperity.

In order to enhance competitiveness through greater connectivity, Wen made four proposals, including treating each other with sincerity and enhancing consultation and mutual trust; stepping up development of transport, power and communications; promoting both subregional cooperation and domestic development of individual countries; and striking a balance between economic development and environmental protection.

Wen also made a package of proposals for the next stage of cooperation among members of the GMS.

Leaders from the six GMS nations signed a declaration at the end of the meeting, and attended the inauguration of the Lao section of the Kunming-Bangkok Highway and the completion ceremony for the first phase of the GMS Information Highway.