Xinhua News Agency, Beijing, July 16. President Xi Jinping was invited to attend the informal meeting of APEC leaders in Beijing by video on the evening of the 16th and delivered a speech.
Xi Jinping pointed out that at present, the new crown pneumonia epidemic has repeated ups and downs, and the situation of epidemic prevention and control is still severe.
At the same time, peace and development are still the themes of the times, and the call for safeguarding multilateralism, strengthening solidarity and cooperation, and jointly coping with challenges has become stronger.
We passed the APEC Vision 2040 last year and proposed the goals of the Asia-Pacific Community.
The Asia-Pacific is an important engine for world economic growth.
Overcoming the epidemic at an early date, restoring economic growth, and promoting the recovery of the world economy are the most important tasks for all members of the Asia-Pacific region.
First, strengthen international cooperation in the fight against the epidemic.
China has provided more than 500 million doses of vaccines to developing countries, and will provide another US$3 billion in international assistance in the next three years.
China is willing to actively participate in cooperation initiatives such as ensuring the stability and safety of the vaccine supply chain, promoting the circulation of key materials, and adopting effective measures to ensure the health, safety and orderly exchange of personnel.
China has donated funds to APEC to establish a sub-fund of "Responding to the Epidemic and Economic Recovery".
Second, deepen regional economic integration.
It is necessary to promote trade and investment liberalization and facilitation, and safeguard the multilateral trading system with the World Trade Organization as its core.
We must tear down walls instead of building walls, open instead of isolation, and integrate instead of decoupling.
It is necessary to strengthen macroeconomic policy coordination, curb negative spillover effects, promote digital interconnection and cooperation, advance regional economic integration, and establish a high-level Asia-Pacific free trade zone as soon as possible.
China has taken the lead in completing the approval of the regional comprehensive economic partnership agreement and expects the agreement to come into effect within this year.
Third, persist in inclusive and sustainable development.
We must persist in putting people first and achieve green growth.
China attaches great importance to addressing climate change, and will strive to achieve carbon peaks by 2030 and carbon neutrality by 2060.
China supports APEC’s sustainable development and economic and technical cooperation, promotes energy efficient, clean, and diversified development, promotes inclusive trade and investment, supports the development of small and medium-sized enterprises, increases support for women and other disadvantaged groups, and strives to implement the 2030 Sustainable development agenda.
Fourth, seize opportunities for technological innovation.
The global digital economy is an open and closely connected whole, and win-win cooperation is the only right way. Closed, exclusive, and divided by opposition will only lead to a dead end.
It is necessary to strengthen the construction of digital infrastructure, and strive to build an open, fair, and non-discriminatory digital business environment.
China will hold seminars on digital capacity building and promote cooperation initiatives such as digital technology for tourism recovery.
Xi Jinping emphasized that China has embarked on a new journey of building a socialist modern country in an all-round way. It will build a new higher-level open economic system, create a more attractive business environment, and promote high-quality co-construction of the “Belt and Road”, sharing the world and the Asia-Pacific. Countries achieve a higher level of mutual benefit and win-win results.
In conclusion, Xi Jinping said that there is a Maori proverb in New Zealand: “When you face the sun, the shadow will eventually disappear.” We are confident in the cooperation of mankind to defeat the epidemic, in the prospects for the recovery of the world economy, and in a bright future for mankind.
Let us stand in the same boat and help each other, join hands in advancing anti-epidemic cooperation and economic recovery, and create a prosperous and beautiful future for the Asia-Pacific region!
The conference was held in video mode initiated by New Zealand, the host of APEC this year. The theme is "How to seize opportunities in the Asia-Pacific region under the background of the new crown pneumonia epidemic, cooperate to respond to the health crisis, accelerate economic recovery, and lay a better foundation for future development."