BOAO, Hainan - When state and government leaders were addressing the audience of the Boao Forum for Asia annual conference 2008, "cooperation" was the most frequently used word in describing ways to reach the goal of "A Green Asia".
The theme of this year's meeting, "Green Asia: moving towards win-win through changes", was strongly echoed by those distinguished speakers.
Chinese President Hu Jintao stressed the importance of regional and international cooperation, and proposed five steps for Asian countries to increase cooperation, including enhancing political mutual trust, deepening economic cooperation, meeting challenges together, increasing cultural and people-to-people exchanges, and keeping to the policy of openness.
Presidents, prime ministers, former political dignitaries and experts from Asia and other continents all held similar views that climate change is a common problem facing humankind as a whole, it is a must for all the countries to join hands to brave this challenge.
As many participants of the meeting have said, we all live in the same global village, we all share the same responsibility. In the increasingly globalized world, no country can develop itself in isolation from the world, especially when talking about environment issues.
It is true that the consumption of energy in developing countries is on the rise, and most developing countries are suffering environment problems. But it is undeniable that climate change is a global problem that developed countries have to face as well.
Reviewing the history of international cooperation on battling climate change, the division between developed and developing countries is yet to be narrowed. Developed countries, which have enjoyed more than 100 years of industrial development and are the main cause of today's global warming, have disappointed the whole world times and again by refusing to bear their part of the responsibility.
On the other hand, developing countries have the right to develop, but they must develop in a scientific way.
It is really encouraging to see that high-ranking speakers at the Boao Forum were so close in viewing the climate change issue and so close in urging inter-governmental cooperation.
"Cooperation" means complement each other with the respective advantages of related parties, Just like the broad cooperation between Australia and China described by Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd. Australia, the world's biggest coal exporter, and China, the biggest coal consumer, are conducting intensive cooperation in developing new technologies to lower emission.
A Green Asia means cleaner energy, cleaner air, cleaner water and cleaner environment for Asian countries. To reach that goal, all the parties concerned must join hands to overcome the pollution brought about by economic development, and leave the young generation a green future.
When we talk about "win-win", we are talking about "cooperation".
