Asia is the largest continent in the world, and its problems are numerous. To solve these gigantic socio-economic problems, some Asian nations have decided to adopt a regional approach and cooperate among themselves. The regional group under the banner of Asia Cooperation Dialogue allows foreign ministers of the member countries to discuss important issues with a view to enhancing cooperation among themselves. The third meeting of this grouping was held recently in Qingdao, a coastal city in east China's Shandong Province on 21 and 22 June.

The Asia Cooperation Dialogue (ACD) was established two years ago on the Thai Foreign Ministry's initiative. Its first meeting was held in Thailand in 2002, which was attended by representatives of 12 countries including Bahrain, China, Pakistan, India, and Indonesia. Kuwait, Oman, Sri Lanka and Kazakhstan joined the organization later. With the inclusion of three new members – Mongolia, Iran and the United Arab Emirates – at the third ACD, it is now a 25-member organisation. More Asian countries are showing keen interest to become its members. Besides, the Russian Federation, Australia and New Zealand have also expressed their willingness to join the ACD. The main goals of the organization are to strengthen regional cooperation, identify potential areas of cooperation, set up joint strategies and create an emergency system to respond to critical situations. ACD member states meet at the foreign ministerial level or hold talks with no political agenda.

Keeping these aims in view, the third ACD meeting reviewed the progress in various fields within the ACD framework over the past two years, explored the direction for the ACD's development and exchanged views on international and regional issues. Issues like energy security, poverty alleviation and road links were discussed prominently at the meeting at Qingdao, where member states agreed to initiate an Asian Fund of around US$50 billion to implement various pro-people projects.

Pakistan, India, China and 19 other countries pledged to move "hand-in-hand" to build a better Asia, ensuring good living conditions for their people. In a five-page declaration on 'Asian Cooperation', adopted at the end of the ACD meeting, the foreign ministers of these countries decided to intensify the process of dialogue to resolve their differences in order to concentrate on their economic progress. The declaration also said that regional cooperation has greatly contributed to peace and development in Asia. The ACD meeting also focused on global terrorism and agreed to fight it jointly.

Besides pushing forward the economic agenda, the event provided an opportunity for a number of sideline meetings.  India’s Minster for External Affairs, K Natwar Singh, and his Pakistani counterpart Khurshid Mehmood Kasuri met on 21 June and discussed and reviewed the progress on Jammu and Kashmir and all other aspects of bilateral ties. This included the implementation of the framework for the dialogue process worked out in February 2004 by the foreign secretaries of the two countries. The just concluded dialogue for nuclear confidence building measures (CBMs) was also reviewed. Thus, it appears that the Qingdao meeting offered a good opportunity to the Foreign Ministers of India and Pakistan to take the peace process forward.

The meeting between the Chinese and India foreign ministers decided to step up cooperation to further deepen bilateral ties as identical views emerged during their discussions on all issues of mutual interest. China held similar meetings with its other partners. The China-ASEAN foreign ministers' informal meeting was the first meeting of China and ASEAN foreign ministers since the two sides established a strategic partnership. In addition, the first meeting of the Three Party Committee of China, Japan and the Republic of Korea (ROK) was also convened.

The ACD is emerging as a very important regional forum. Some of the major countries of the world are represented in it. The organization reflects the common aspiration of Asian countries to enhance cooperation. If this co-operation succeeds as a whole as being planned in an earnest manner, it shall be a great boost for the economy of the Asian countries; they could reduce their dependence on non-Asian countries. The ACD should also go someway in creating a balance between Asian and European countries.