Chinese President Xi Jinping’s address at the just-concluded Fourth Eastern Economic Forum (EEF) has drawn a clear roadmap for a bright future of Northeast Asia.

Xi summarized the fruits of China’s support for and participation in the cooperation with Russia’s Far East region and put forward four proposals on Northeast Asian cooperation, in the speech delivered to the EEF on Wednesday, in Vladivostok, Russia.

He said Northeast Asia should build up mutual trust to safeguard regional peace and tranquility; deepen cooperation to achieve mutually-beneficial and win-win outcomes; learn from each other to consolidate their traditional friendship; and realize integrated and coordinated development from a long-term perspective.

Based on the current situation of Northeast Asia, the proposals responded to the development demands of all regional countries and were widely echoed by representatives attending the meeting.

The international situation is now undergoing profound and complicated changes with mounting power politics, unilateralism and protectionism. But the overall situation in Northeast Asia remains stable and is improving, despite of complicated global political and economic landscape.

Against this backdrop, countries in Northeast Asia must seize this rare historical opportunity to further tap the full potential of cooperation so as to join efforts to promote peace, stability, and prosperity in the region.

The Northeast Asia has great development potential. Six Northeast Asian countries account for 23 percent of the global population, and their GDP make up 19 percent of global economy.

Besides, the region is endowed with rich energy resources and abundant supplies of financial and human resources, and owns the world’s leading scientific and technological research and development capabilities. The regional economies are highly complementary for each having respective strengths and distinctive features.

In 2017, trade between China and Russia’s Far Eastern federal district exceeded $7.7 billion. China has involved in more than 30 projects in the Advanced Special Economic Zones (ASEZs) and Vladivostok Free Port in Far East region, with a planned investment of over $4 billion.

China has grown into the largest trade partner as well as the largest source of foreign investment of the Far East.

Countless cooperation cases in the Northeast Asian region have proven that as long as the countries concerned can actively align their development strategies, and propel regional and sub-regional cooperation, they are fully capable and conditioned to bring their respective advantages into full play, and build a Northeast Asian economic circle by carrying out in-depth cooperation in various fields.

A closer Northeast Asian collaboration conforms to the interests and shared appeals of all sides in the region.

As an important member of Northeast Asia, China has always upheld the concept of peaceful development to create a harmonious and friendly neighboring environment, and endeavored to promote exchanges and dialogues among regional countries.

The Belt and Road Initiative proposed by China also offers a feasible path to enhancing cooperation in Northeast Asia.

At present, China is actively promoting the alignment of the Belt and Road Initiative with Russia’s Eurasian Economic Union and Mongolia’s Prairie Road Development initiative.

South Korea has expressed interests in taking part in the joint construction of the Belt and Road, and the Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe also said on many occasions that Japan hopes to discuss cooperation with China within the framework of the Belt and Road Initiative.

China’s Belt and Road Initiative, which has received positive response from Northeast Asian region, creates huge opportunities for the region’s diversification and sustainable development.

“A harmonious, united and stable Northeast Asia with mutual trust conforms to the interests of all countries and the expectations of the international community, and is also significant for safeguarding multilateralism and promoting a more just and equitable international order,” Xi said in his speech.

By joining hands and making unremitting efforts to promote cooperation, we will create a bright future for Northeast Asia.

东北亚合作创造发展新机遇（钟声）

9月12日，第四届东方经济论坛全会在俄罗斯符拉迪沃斯托克举行，中国国家主席习近平发表致辞，总结中国支持、参与俄罗斯远东合作的成果，为开创东北亚地区美好未来描绘了清晰的路线图。

习近平主席提出，要增进互信，维护地区和平安宁；深化合作，实现各国互利共赢；互学互鉴，巩固人民传统友谊；着眼长远，实现综合协调发展。四点主张立足当前东北亚形势，回应各方发展需求，在与会人士中形成强烈共鸣。

当前，国际形势深刻复杂变化，强权政治、单边主义、保护主义抬头。世界政治经济形势错综复杂，东北亚局势总体稳定向好。东北亚国家亟须抓住难得的历史时机，进一步挖掘合作潜力，共同为地区和平、稳定、繁荣作出积极贡献。

从发展潜力来看，东北亚地区六国人口占全球人口23%，国内生产总值占全球经济总量19%，地区能源资源丰富，具有世界领先的科技研发能力，资金和人力资源充足，各国经济发展各具优势，特点鲜明，互补性强。

仅以远东合作为例，2017年中国同俄罗斯远东联邦区贸易额超过77亿美元，中方参与远东跨越式发展区和自由港项目30余个，规划投资超过40亿美元，中国已经成为俄罗斯远东地区第一大贸易伙伴国和第一大外资来源国。无数合作事例证明，只要各方积极开展发展战略对接，大力推动小多边合作、次区域合作，东北亚地区国家完全有能力、有条件充分发挥各自优势，开展各领域、深层次合作，努力构建东北亚经济圈。

加强东北亚合作契合域内各方利益，是本地区国家的共同追求。作为东北亚地区重要一员，中方始终秉持和平发展理念，努力营造和睦友好的周边环境，致力于推动地区各国交流对话，中国提出的“一带一路”倡议也为加强东北亚合作提供了切实可行的路径。中俄正在积极开展“一带一路”建设和欧亚经济联盟对接，中蒙继续大力推动“一带一路”同“发展之路”对接，韩方愿积极参与共建“一带一路”，日本首相安倍晋三在多个场合提出，希望与中方积极探讨在“一带一路”框架内的合作……“一带一路”在东北亚地区获得广泛响应，为推动实现本地区多元化、可持续发展打开了“机遇之窗”。

诚如习近平主席所言：“一个和睦、互信、团结、稳定的东北亚符合各国利益和国际社会期待，对维护多边主义、推动国际秩序朝着更加公正合理的方向发展也具有重要意义。”东北亚的美好新未来，迫切呼唤各方携手并肩、不懈努力。