Chinese leader urges APEC members to work towards open global economy

Delivering a speech titled “Harnessing Opportunities of Our Times to Jointly Pursue Prosperity in the Asia-Pacific" at the 26th Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Economic Leaders’ Meeting in Port Moresby capital of Papua New Guinea, the Chinese leader tabled four directions, namely to advance economic integration in the region so as to build an open economy in the Asia-Pacific, to pursue innovation-driven growth and foster new growth drivers, to improve the connectivity network to promote inclusive and interconnected development, and to forge a closer partnership and jointly meet common challenges.

During the event, he also voiced his support for the liberalization and facilitation of investment and trade, protected the multilateral trade mechanism and opposed the trade protectionism.

“We need to respect diversity and each other's choices of development path, promote integration and mutual learning on the basis of openness and inclusiveness, and engage in both healthy competition and mutually beneficial cooperation,” Xi Jinping stressed.

The APEC Economic Leaders’ Meeting took place on November 17 – 18 under the theme “Harnessing Inclusive Opportunities, Embracing the Digital Future.”