In its latest forecast in March, the World Bank has lowered the estimated gross domestic product (GDP) growth of 20 East Asian and Pacific developing economies this year down by 1.4 percentage points to 5.3 percent.

However, China and some Asian emerging economies will take the lead in rebounding from the economic crisis, said Long Yongtu, secretary-general of Boao forum.

"We should make greater efforts to promote free trade and expand intra-regional trade," Premier Wen suggested.

He called on Asian countries to strengthen financial cooperation and maintain regional financial stability.

"We should accommodate each other's concern to the greatest extent possible, build consensus and establish a regional reserve pool as early as possible so as to better protect our region from financial risks," he said.

He suggested that investment cooperation be deepened to drive regional economic growth.

China has decided to set up a 10-billion-U.S.-dollar "China-ASEAN Fund on Investment Cooperation" to support infrastructure development in the region, according to Wen.

China has an important role to play in helping finance the infrastructure and also help with the development of expenditures in southeast Asia, said Lawrence Greenwood. Jr., vice president of Asian Development Bank (ADB).

This is an important time for that because the financing for much of infrastructure is drying up because of the international credit crunch, he said.

ADB is very much encouraged and looking for cooperation with China in providing infrastructure financing for the region, he said.

Wen is absolutely correct when he pointed out the vision about hope and future, said New Zealand's Prime Minister John Key. When business people feel confident, they will start investing; when consumers have confidence, they will start spending.

"So when we look to find the way out, it's not an option for countries to act in isolation, Key said.

"It will be imperative to have free and candid exchange of views on our relevant policies, to effectively coordinate our efforts at the regional level. It will be especially important for the Asian countries, with the increasing weight in the world economy to closely coordinate during the entire crisis," said Mongolia's Prime Minister Sanj Bayar.

Wen's speech is a roadmap for recovery and sustained growth. It has great benefits for all of the southeast Asia and Asia, and the whole road. The roadmap is strategic, visionary and long-term, said Ramos, former president of the Philippines.

HAVE A BIG SAY IN INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS

Finally, Wen said, Asia should enhance collaboration and coordination in international affairs and promote world peace, stability and prosperity.

"We should advance reform of the international financial system, increase the representation and voice of emerging markets and developing countries, strengthen surveillance of the macroeconomic policies of major reserve currency issuing economies, and develop a more diversified international monetary system," he said.