(Economic Watch) How to boost global recovery morale? How does Asia-Pacific build a stronger supply chain?
China News Agency, Beijing, November 2 (Reporter Wang Enbo) Since the outbreak of the new crown pneumonia epidemic, all parties have been deeply troubled by the "obstruction" of the supply chain.
As a key force to boost the morale of the global recovery, how the Asia-Pacific region responds has attracted much attention.
China's National Development and Reform Commission held the APEC (Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation) Forum on Strengthening Supply Chain Resilience and Promoting Economic Recovery in Beijing on the 2nd.
Participants believed that openness and cooperation are still "essentials" to meet the current challenges.
Lin Nianxiu, deputy director of the National Development and Reform Commission, said in his speech that the impact of the new crown pneumonia epidemic and the Ukrainian crisis are intertwined, the globalization process has encountered adverse currents, the supply chain system has become more disordered, and the world economy is facing a new round of recession risks.
The Asia-Pacific region is an important growth pole of the world economy, and every cooperation and decision made in the supply chain field will have a significant impact on the world economy.
He further emphasized that in this special period, all parties must resolutely oppose "building walls and fortifications" and "decoupling and breaking chains", and must unswervingly adhere to the correct direction of economic globalization, adhere to open regionalism, and assume responsibility for ensuring supply chain resilience. important mission.
Openness and cooperation are also the concerns of Rebecca Maria, Executive Director of the APEC Secretariat.
"We must reflect on the changes that have taken place in the value chain and supply chain," she pointed out, whether at the APEC organization or at the government level, policymakers need to work closely together, and mobilize the business community and stakeholders to participate extensively to overcome the existing problems in the supply chain. Difficulties and challenges.
For example, investing more power and money in trade facilitation, using innovative technologies to improve productivity and digital capabilities, etc.
It is worth mentioning that APEC members have different resource endowments and strong economic complementarity. Deepening intra-regional cooperation has unique advantages and inherent motivation.
As far as supply chain cooperation is concerned, there are already many relevant practices.
Zhang Shaogang, vice-chairman of the China Council for the Promotion of International Trade, said that China's initiatives such as the Asia-Pacific Demonstration Electronic Port Network and the APEC Green Supply Chain Cooperation Network Tianjin Demonstration Center have provided useful experience for various economies to carry out practical cooperation.
In January this year, the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) came into effect, which has further boosted economic cooperation in the Asia-Pacific region and has a profound impact on the regional supply chain.
Cooperation has become the general trend, but uncertainty still exists.
According to Zhou Haoli, Indonesian Ambassador to China, trade protectionism is a long-term risk that threatens the stability of the supply chain and affects the development trend of the global supply chain.
All parties must cooperate on the basis of mutual benefit, mutual support and understanding, within the framework of non-discriminatory policies, and on the premise of respecting the background of the relevant countries, so as to further enhance the resilience of the supply chain.
Huang Shaozhu, Director of the Trade and Industry Department of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government, also expressed a similar view.
"We should strive to strengthen the rules-based multilateral trading system with the WTO at the core to ensure the stability and predictability of trade," she called on all parties to continue to cooperate with the WTO to develop a package of measures to deal with the epidemic, so that commodities Unimpeded trade in and services, especially in the event of future shocks such as epidemics, to ensure the circulation of basic medical supplies.
As an important economy in the region, China has participated in APEC cooperation for more than 30 years, and has always adhered to the benign interaction with member economies, injecting a "stabilizing factor" into regional development.
In recent years, China has taken a series of measures to deepen its opening up, support the development of cross-border e-commerce, overseas warehouses, etc., and encourage foreign investment in advanced manufacturing, high-tech and other fields.
"The 21 members of APEC are located on different continents, but achieving regional prosperity and development is everyone's common aspiration." In order to further improve the resilience of the regional supply chain, Lin Nianxiu put forward three proposals: First, take the road of openness and innovation and promote regional trade liberalization Facilitation; the second is to take the road of cooperative development to promote the interconnection of industrial chains and supply chains; the third is to take the road of low-carbon transformation and build a green and sustainable supply chain system.
Lin Nianxiu said that China will continue to play the role of a responsible major country, promote high-level opening up, deeply participate in global industrial division and cooperation, unswervingly maintain the attributes of public goods in the supply chain, and work with other countries to strengthen the resilience of the supply chain as a link. We will write a new chapter in building an Asia-Pacific community with a shared future.
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