Chinese President Xi Jinping proposed that the Asia-Pacific region should uphold 'joining hands' instead of 'letting go,' 'extending chains' instead of 'breaking chains,' jointly maintaining the stability and smooth operation of industrial and supply chains, actively seeking more areas of common interest, and supporting the open development of supply chains.
According to Xinhua News Agency, on the 31st, in his speech at the first phase of the 32nd APEC Economic Leaders’ Informal Meeting, Xi Jinping pointed out that the Asia-Pacific region is currently facing increasing instability and uncertainty, but the rougher the waters, the more we must pull together. Countries in the Asia-Pacific should insist on sharing opportunities and achieving win-win results through open development, advance inclusive and beneficial economic globalization, build an Asia-Pacific community, and, to this end, put forward five suggestions.
Xi Jinping first proposed that countries should jointly uphold the multilateral trading system. He pointed out the need to practice true multilateralism, enhance the authority and effectiveness of the multilateral trading system with the World Trade Organization at its core. Uphold the right direction for WTO reform, safeguard basic principles such as most-favored-nation treatment and non-discrimination, promote international economic and trade rules to keep pace with the times, and better protect the legitimate rights and interests of developing countries.
In terms of trade and investment environment, Xi Jinping suggested jointly fostering an open regional economic environment, continuously promoting trade and investment liberalization and facilitation, deepening cooperation in finance and the economy, and steadily advancing the process of regional economic integration.
He called for making good use of the opportunities presented by the high-quality implementation of the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) and the expansion of the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP), promoting alignment and integration for common progress, and pooling energy for the construction of a Free Trade Area of the Asia-Pacific.
On industrial and supply chains, Xi Jinping suggested that all countries work together to jointly safeguard the stability and smooth flow of industrial and supply chains. Taking the 10th anniversary of the implementation of the APEC Connectivity Blueprint as an opportunity, continually strengthen and refine hard connectivity, soft connectivity, and people-to-people connectivity, and further solidify the foundation for open development in the Asia-Pacific.
Xi Jinping also proposed on the digitalization and greening of trade, saying that digital technology should be fully utilized to promote cross-border trade, and pragmatic cooperation such as paperless trade and smart customs should be advanced. Barriers of all kinds to green development should be removed, and cooperation in green industries, clean energy, and green minerals should be expanded. He pointed out that the Asia-Pacific Demonstration Electronic Port Network and Green Supply Chain Network, both first advocated by China at APEC, have become important platforms for digital and green regional trade cooperation.
Xi Jinping said that countries in the Asia-Pacific should jointly promote inclusive and beneficial development. Uphold a people-centered development philosophy, focus on addressing unbalanced development, promote economic globalization that is more inclusive and sustainable, and better benefit all people in the region. He pointed out that China, through cooperation with all parties in advancing high-quality Belt and Road construction, supports more developing countries in achieving modernization, and opens up new space for global development.