Xi urges higher-level Asia-Pacific cooperation

Chinese President Xi Jinping has delivered a speech at the 26th APEC Economic Leaders' Meeting.

The president took the opportunity to encourage leaders across Asia-Pacific to share a common responsibility to chart a long-term development course, and draw up a post-2020 vision.

Chinese President Xi Jinping attends the 26th Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Economic Leaders' Meeting and delivers a speech titled "Harnessing Opportunities of Our Times To Jointly Pursue Prosperity in the Asia-Pacific" in Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea, on Nov. 18, 2018. [Photo: Xinhua]

President Xi Jinping called for advance economic integration so as to build an open economy in the Asia-Pacific region with each country continuing to promote the liberalization of trade and investment.

Xi Jinping said the road toward a Free Trade Area of the Asia-Pacific will not be smooth, but APEC leaders need to remain committed to this goal and move toward it.

He also calls on countries to adopt an inclusive and transparent approach to the various kinds of free trade arrangements and uphold the rules-based multilateral trading system.

The year 2018 marks the 40th anniversary of China's reform and opening-up, with the recent China International Import Expo attracting some 3,600 companies and sealing 57.8 billion U.S. dollars worth of deals.

President Xi Jinping said this has sent a message about China's strong commitment to support free and open trade in the world.

Apart from this, he said pursuing innovation-driven growth is also important.

For example, China is endeavoring to build a "Digital China" and many innovations have been made in areas such as Internet Plus and artificial intelligence.

Meanwhile, President Xi Jinping notes that China has made it a high priority to strengthen connectivity.

Thanks to five years of joint efforts, cooperation under the Belt and Road Initiative has entered a new phase of full implementation. China will host the second Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation in April next year.

The Chinese leader also said the country follows a people-centered development philosophy and encourages open development for the benefit of all.

In the past few decades, China has lifted more than 700 million people out of poverty and will completely eliminate poverty by 2020. The Chinese economy has been contributing over 30 percent of the global growth for many years.