On the evening of the 20th, President Xi Jinping attended the 27th informal meeting of APEC leaders in Beijing by video and delivered an important speech entitled “Working together to build a community of Asia-Pacific destiny”.
Xi Jinping pointed out that at present, the world and the Asia-Pacific region are undergoing profound changes, and the COVID-19 epidemic has accelerated this trend. The way to go in the future of Asia-Pacific cooperation is related to regional development, people’s well-being and the future of the world.
Xi Jinping stressed that we should take the opening of APEC’s vision of cooperation after 2020 as a new starting point, open a new stage of Asia-Pacific cooperation, and jointly build an open, inclusive, innovative growth, interconnected and win-win community of Asia-Pacific destiny.
First, adhere to openness and tolerance. We must resolutely safeguard peace and stability, resolutely safeguard multilateralism, adhere to building an open world economy, unswervingly support the multilateral trading system with the World Trade Organization at its core, continue to promote regional economic integration, and build an Asia-Pacific Free Trade Area at an early date. China welcomes the completion and signing of the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement and will also actively consider acceding to the Comprehensive and Progressive Trans-Pacific Partnership Agreement. Continue to implement the APEC high-quality growth strategy and inclusive action agenda. China will hold a seminar on inclusive trade and investment.
Second, adhere to innovative growth. It is necessary to promote the dissemination and application of new technologies and strengthen the construction of digital infrastructure. We will improve economic governance and create an open, fair, just and non-discriminatory business environment. China will promote the formulation of guiding principles for smart cities, advocate that all parties share the experience of digital technology in fighting the epidemic and restoring the economy, advocate optimizing the digital business environment, and unlock the potential of the digital economy. Next year, China will hold a seminar on digital poverty reduction.
Third, adhere to interconnection. It is necessary to unblock the safe and orderly flow of people, goods, funds and data. China is willing to work with all parties to actively and steadily promote the construction of “fast channel” for personnel flow and “green channel” for goods, and maintain the safe and smooth operation of global and regional industrial chains and supply chains. Promote the docking of development planning and interconnection initiatives of all parties, and jointly build the Belt and Road Initiative with high quality.
Fourth, adhere to win-win cooperation. We should deepen the Asia-Pacific partnership of mutual trust, tolerance, cooperation and win-win, adhere to the concept of joint consultation, construction and sharing, and constantly improve the level of regional cooperation. Promote practical cooperation on the basis of consensus, properly deal with contradictions and differences, safeguard the correct direction of Asia-Pacific cooperation, and make APEC stable and far-reaching. China supports APEC to strengthen cooperation in vaccines, public health, small, medium and micro enterprises and other fields to help fight against the epidemic and economic recovery.
Finally, Xi Jinping stressed that China is willing to work with all parties in the Asia-Pacific region to create and share a peaceful and prosperous future in the Asia-Pacific region, and make continuous progress towards the goal of building a community with a shared future for mankind.
The meeting was chaired by the Prime Minister of Malaysia, Muhidin. The theme of the meeting is “Stimulate the potential of the people, share a strong and prosperous future”. Leaders of the participating economies exchanged views in depth and reached a positive consensus on the response to the COVID-19 epidemic and the vision of APEC cooperation after 2020.
Leaders said that in the face of the challenge of COVID-19, all parties should seek common ground rather than make differences, strengthen unity, deepen vaccine cooperation, facilitate the flow of people and materials, overcome the crisis as soon as possible, and achieve economic recovery and growth. Adhering to the spirit of APEC with equal partnership, common responsibility, mutual respect and mutual benefit and win-win, we will strengthen cooperation in trade and investment, scientific and technological innovation, digital economy and other fields, and deepen interconnection. Support the reform of the World Trade Organization, safeguard multilateralism and the multilateral trading system, and create a free, open, fair, non-discriminatory, transparent and predictable trade and investment environment. We will promote the process of regional economic integration and the Asia-Pacific Free Trade Area, and commit to building an open, dynamic, strong and peaceful Asia-Pacific Community by 2040.
The meeting adopted the APEC Boutlagaya Vision 2040 and issued the 2020 APEC Leaders Kuala Lumpur Declaration.
Ding Xuexiang, Yang Jiechi, Wang Yi, He Lifeng and others attended the meeting.
