Chinese Vice President Li Yuanchao on Monday called for promoting common development in the Eurasian region through greater openness and cooperation.

Li made the remarks at the third China-Eurasia Economic Development and Cooperation Forum that opened in Urumqi, capital of northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region on Monday, with the theme of "openness, mutual trust and common development."

"The world economy is undergoing profound changes. The trends toward economic globalization and regional integration are gaining momentum," said Li.

He said Eurasian countries boast geographic proximity and trade connectivity, complement each other economically and are inter-dependent in security. Therefore, greater openness and cooperation are vital ingredients for development and prosperity in the region.

Li called on Eurasian countries to advance political mutual trust and improve the security environment.

"Trade and investment liberalization and facilitation should be promoted with a broader prospective and a more open mind," said the vice president.

According to Li, Eurasian countries should work to build a new grand Eurasia passage and enhance connectivity.

Eurasian countries also need to uphold the principle of mutual respect, equality, inclusiveness and mutual learning, and increase people-to-people exchange, he said.

Zhang Chunxian, secretary of the Communist Party of China's Xinjiang committee, said Xinjiang is ready to join hands with other Eurasian countries to share development opportunities and advance cooperation.

Kyrgyzstan's Prime Minister Zhantoro Satybaldiyev, Tajikistan's first Deputy Prime Minister Matlubkhon Davlatov, Vice Chairman of the State Great Hural of Mongolia Radnasumberel Gonchigdorj, United Nations Development Programme Administrator Helen Clark and Former Nepalese Constituent Assembly speaker Subash Nemwang also spoke at the forum.

(CNTV.cn, Xinhua News Agency September 2, 2013)