The Asia Pacific takes up 55 percent of the global economy, and it is of vital interest to stay "heavily engaged" with the countries in the region, he said at a banquet speech held during the Boao Forum for Asia (BFA) annual conference 2009.
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Former U.S. President George W. Bush gives a keynote speech at a dinner session in Boao, a scenic town in south China’s Hainan Province, April 18, 2009. Bush gave a keynote speech on the dinner session titled "The U.S., Asia and the Future" here on Saturday. |
"The global financial system does need reform, needs greater transparency," he noted.
"Accessible banking standard is needed to be in place to prevent over leverage. A better warning system is needed to be put into place to anticipate crisis," he said.
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Long Yongtu (L), Secretary General of Boao Forum for Asia (BFA), welcomes former U.S. President George W. Bush at a dinner session in Boao, a scenic town in south China’s Hainan Province, April 18, 2009. Bush gave a keynote speech on the dinner session titled "The U.S., Asia and the Future" here on Saturday |
"We learn lessons from the past that we are intervened in close coordination with each other," he said.
As the 43rd U.S. president, Bush spoke out the fact that he had maintained good personal relations with China. He said making friends with Chinese leaders made it easier to do diplomacy.
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Long Yongtu (L), Secretary General of Boao Forum for Asia (BFA), gives a speech while former U.S. President George W. Bush listens at a dinner session in Boao, a scenic town in south China’s Hainan Province, April 18, 2009. Bush gave a keynote speech on the dinner session titled "The U.S., Asia and the Future" here on Saturday. |
He stressed the world must resist isolation and protectionism, and must resist the temptation to over-correct.
"More we interact, more quickly we can succeed," he said.
In mid-March, Bush gave his first speech after leaving office in Calgary of Canada, which stirred up a protest of 200 people and shoe throwing outside the event, according to media reports.