The major challenges of the 21st century, from climate change to economic development, are challenges that touch all of our nations, and challenges that none of our nations could solve by acting alone. Chinese Premier Li Keqiang called for the incorporation of disability issue into ASEM cooperation framework last October 2014 during the 10th ASEM Summit (ASEM10) in Milan, Italy. Disability issue is one of the challenges, and there is a consensus that the issue needs to be addressed collaboratively by all countries.

Disability collaborations within the ASEM framework would be a good example of how inclusion of persons with disabilities could be translated from broad statements at the international level into specific action that makes difference to the lives of persons with disabilities.