Alt tag: Chinese President Jiang Zemin Short headline: China vows to be
good neighbour Shanghai: Chinese President Jiang Zemin on May 10 pledged to be "a good neighbour, friend and partner" of other Asian countries and called for enhanced regional co- operation to combat terrorism, poverty and hegemonic tendencies.

"No matter how the world may evolve, China will forever be a good neighbour, a good friend and a good partner to other Asian countries, and forever a staunch force in safeguarding world peace and promoting common development," Jiang said.

"A more developed China means a stronger force for peace and progress in Asia and the world," Jiang said while delivering a keynote address at the opening ceremony of the 35th annual meeting of the Asian Development Bank (ADB).

While portraying Asia as the world's most dynamic economic region, Jiang said that the region is also faced with both new opportunities and new challenges in its development.

"The security situation in certain Asian areas allows little optimism and the fight against terrorism needs to go still deeper," he said.

Jiang noted that wars and turbulances have cropped up one after another and that terrorism and non-traditional security problems have become all the more pronounced.

He said that the economic globalisation, while generating development opportunities, has added uncertainties to world economic environment and made it harder for the developing economies within the region to restructure and fend off the external shocks.

PTI