This conference is an important political occasion for Asia, and provides us all with the opportunity to exchange ideas about the development of the political systems from which we come and in addition learn from each other about the role and activities of our respective parties.

Political parties play a vital role in the political development of all countries. They provide a framework for contestability in governance, and act as an incubator and forum for the development and articulation of political principles and policies. Their existence gives greater coherence to the political process, and in turn to the process of government of our respective countries.

Political parties are an important and necessary part of politics. Our meeting together here in the international city of Beijing will reinforce for us the significance of what we do as parties.

For Australians, meeting with representatives from many parts of Asia reinforces the great importance of Asia for us. And this is true, whether at the level of government, of parties, or of the general community.

The Australian Government’s policies of active engagement with Asia reflect, and respect, the region’s political, economic and cultural diversity.

Our economic cooperation with the region is strong. Many of our major trading partners are in Asia.

Our political relationships are equally close. Regional cooperation in the fight against transnational crime, including terrorism, is continuing to grow. We have signed counter-terrorism Memorandums Of Understanding with several countries in the region, providing the framework for greater cooperation.

In an era of globalisation, and with the ever increasing need of dealing with transnational security threats, the importance of Australia working effectively with Asia will continue to grow over time.

One of the matters for long-term attention for us as leaders is the need to give support to the infrastructure of political parties as they develop in countries emerging on a multi-party basis. The future strength of any political system and its legitimacy will be greatly affected by the strength of political parties and the way in which they operate. Both through this conference and by other means, we need to encourage the building up of parties that are based on clear principles, that have accountable internal structures and that have a wide membership base to give a firm foundation linking parties to community opinion.

These matters are not always easy, even for long-established parties. They can be all the more challenging for newer parties. Hence the importance of communication with and support for one another. The exchange of ideas between long-established parties and newer ones about matters such as sustaining party membership, the relationship between members of parliament and the party organization, fund raising and campaign organization will be helpful in enabling parties to be better informed about these aspects of party development. This conference will give opportunity for parties to enhance their links with each other so that the flow of information will be all the greater in the future.

I bring to the conference the greetings and good wishes of Prime Minister John Howard and of our Party. We look forward to a strengthened association through this conference with the parties of Asia.