[Report by reporters Hou Lijun and Wang Huihui: "China Hopes APEC To Achieve Results in Four Fields, Says Chinese Foreign Ministry"]
Beijing, 6 Nov (Xinhua) -Speaking at a press conference for Chinese and foreign journalists on 6 November, Chinese Vice Foreign Minister He Yafei said: China has four expections of the upcoming APEC meeting.
He Yafei said: China hopes that the meeting will put forth concrete cooperation plan to deal with the international financial crisis and resume economic growth; show clear opposition to trade protectionism and support to the Doha Round negotiations; make fresh progress in promoting regional economic integration, improving investment environment, and realizing the Bogor Goals; and continue to steadily advance APEC's organizational reform and mechanism building.
He said: This year's APEC meeting will be held under special circumstances because the international financial crisis is not completely over yet. Although the global economy has shown some positive signs of recovery, they are not sold. The situation of the Asia-Pacific region is, by and large, better than other regions and will give a strong impetus to economic recovery worldwide. Therefore, all parties have high expectations on the upcoming APEC meeting.
Meanwhile, He Yafei said: This year is the 20th anniversary of inauguration of the APEC. In two decades, the APEC has played an important role in pushing trade and investment liberalization and facilitation in the Asia-Pacific region, promoting regional economic integration, and achieving common prosperity. As a member of the Asia-Pacific family, China has attached great importance to the APEC and actively participated in the organization's economic cooperation in various fields. The Chinese State President attended the previous informal meetings of APEC leaders.
At the invitation of Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong, President Hu Jintao will attend the 17th informal meeting of APEC leaders in Singapore from 14 to 15 November.
He Yafei briefed journalists about the main points of Hu Jintao's itinerary, including attending the informal meeting of APEC leaders, a dialogue meeting between the APEC leaders and representatives of the APEC Business Advisory Council [ABAC], and a summit of APEC industrial and business leaders.
At the informal meeting of APEC leaders, President Hu will explain China's position on responding to the international financial crisis and resuming economic growth; as well as on dealing with climate change, grain and energy security, and other major global challenges. He will also explain China's view on future development of the APEC.
At the dialogue meeting between APEC leaders and ABAC representatives, President Hu will have an in-depth exchange of views with industrial and business circles on such issues as resisting trade protectionism and promoting investment facilitation and economic integration of the region.
At the summit of APEC industrial and business leaders, President Hu will brief them a series of strong and effective policies and measures taken by China to tackle the international financial crisis; and expound China's views on strengthening coopeeration in the Asia-Pacific region, promoting economic growth, and rejuvenating the global economy.
According to sources, President Hu will hold bilateral meetings with leaders of some member economies during the meeting.
At the press conference, Vice-Minister of Commerce Yi Xiaozhun briefed journalists about China's main viewpoints on participation in the APEC meeting: firmly opposing protectionism in trade and investment to effectively safeguard an open, fair, and just international trade environment and promote speedy economic recovery in the Asia-Pacific region; vigorously advancing the WTO's Doha Round negotiations; striving to achieve sustainable growth and supporting the APEC's cooperation in the environment; and urging industrialized member economies to conscientiously realize the Bogor Goals.
Yi Xiaozhun said: According to the Bogors Goals reached by the APEC member economies in 1994, industrialized economies should take the lead to achieve the goal of trade and investment liberalization and facilitation no later than 2010, which is next year. China hopes that industrialized economies will realize the Bogor Goals to the letter, and will not deviate from the direction or lower the standard because of the ongoing financial crisis. It is hoped that the APEC will set up a review mechanism to assess the extent of realizing the goal with quantitative index.
Yi Xiaozhun pointed out: The APEC has achieved fruitful results and accumulated useful experiences in promoting trade and investment liberalization and facilitation and economic and technical cooperation in the past two decades. Through the upcoming meeting, China hopes to work together with all parties in continuing to deepen cooperation and jointly responding to the financial crisis to promote further integration of the economies in the Asia-Pacific region, thereby making still greater contributions to the global economy.
Source: Xinhua news agency, Beijing, in Chinese 1131 gmt 6 Nov 09
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