Adhere to the original intention and promote development together
Opening a new chapter in Asia-Pacific cooperation
— Written speech at the APEC Business Leaders Summit
(November 17, 2022, Bangkok)
President of the People's Republic of China Xi Jinping
Dear business representatives,
Ladies and gentlemen, friends:
It is a great pleasure to come to beautiful Bangkok to attend the APEC Business Leaders Summit.
The world is once again at a crossroads.
Where is the world going?
What about Asia Pacific?
We must give an answer.
The 21st century is the Asia-Pacific century.
The Asia-Pacific region accounts for one-third of the world's population, more than 60% of the world's total economic output, and nearly half of the total trade volume. It is the most dynamic growth belt in the global economy.
The economic development of Asia-Pacific members has made extraordinary achievements in the past, and they will certainly be able to write even more magnificent chapters in the future.
At present, the situation in the Asia-Pacific region is generally stable, and regional cooperation continues to make progress. Peaceful development and win-win cooperation are the mainstream.
At the same time, the world has entered a new period of turmoil and change, where geopolitical tensions and the evolution of the economic landscape are superimposed, impacting the development environment and cooperation framework of the Asia-Pacific region.
The COVID-19 epidemic has been repeatedly delayed, the downward pressure on the world economy has increased, the risk of recession has increased, multiple crises in food, energy, and debt have emerged simultaneously, many countries have encountered greater difficulties in economic and social development, and various unstable and uncertain factors have increased. , Hegemonism, unilateralism, and protectionism are on the rise. Behaviors that distort international norms, interrupt economic ties, condone regional conflicts, and hinder development cooperation are common occurrences, posing serious challenges to peace and development in the Asia-Pacific.
Learn from the past and know the future.
Over the past few decades, Asia-Pacific economic cooperation has injected strong impetus into regional development and effectively improved people's well-being.
Experience is precious, and the original intention needs to be adhered to.
- We will take the road of peaceful development.
The Asia-Pacific region has suffered from conflicts and wars, and has become an arena for major power struggles and a gathering place for international conflicts.
History has shown us that confrontation between camps cannot solve problems, and prejudice will only bring disaster.
It is precisely because the Asia-Pacific region, especially the small and medium-sized economies, has stepped on the fast track to modernization after getting rid of the haze of the Cold War, that the "Asia-Pacific Miracle" came into being.
The Asia-Pacific region is not anyone's backyard, and should not become an arena for major powers.
The people will not agree to any attempt to engage in a "new cold war", and the times will not allow it!
- We must take the road of openness and tolerance.
Openness and inclusiveness are the basic conditions for human prosperity and progress.
For decades, economies in the Asia-Pacific have broken market segmentation, tightened economic ties, and actively embraced the world, opening up vast space for economic development.
APEC upholds open regionalism, adheres to the principles of diversity and non-discrimination, and has built an inclusive and inclusive regional cooperation framework.
It is precisely with this kind of mind and structure that the Asia-Pacific region has been able to seize the opportunity of economic globalization and be at the forefront of the times in terms of regional economic integration.
Openness brings progress, and closure will inevitably lead to backwardness.
Blocking or even dismantling the long-established industrial and supply chains in the Asia-Pacific region will only lead to a "dead end" for Asia-Pacific economic cooperation.
——We must take the road of solidarity and solidarity.
The "Asia-Pacific Miracle" was created by everyone's joint efforts and overcoming obstacles.
For a long time, the Asia-Pacific region has been adhering to the spirit of a big family, persisting in helping each other in times of difficulty, defusing various risks, forging ahead in the tide of the world economy, and forming a sense of community through cooperation, which has become the deep foundation for continuous development.
At present, the Asia-Pacific economy has entered a critical stage of post-epidemic recovery.
Economies generally face difficulties such as supply chain disorder, shortage of food and energy, and increasing inflationary pressure.
We need to strengthen cooperation, support and help each other, and push the Asia-Pacific economy to be at the forefront of world economic recovery.
Ladies and gentlemen, friends!
Under the new situation, we must learn from historical experience and lessons, respond to the challenges of the times, firmly promote the economic integration of the Asia-Pacific region, jointly open up new prospects for development, and build an Asia-Pacific community with a shared future.
First, lay a solid foundation for peaceful development.
We must follow the purposes and principles of the UN Charter, establish a common, comprehensive, cooperative, and sustainable security concept, jointly oppose the Cold War mentality and confrontation between camps, build an Asia-Pacific security architecture, and create conditions for economic development and long-term stability in the Asia-Pacific.
Second, adhere to the people-centered development concept.
We must pay attention to safeguarding people's livelihood during economic development, take care of the needs of disadvantaged groups, solve the problem of income gap, and foster an inclusive development environment.
Developed Asia-Pacific economies should play a positive role, actively support developing economies, and build a new partnership featuring unity, equality, balance, and mutual benefit.
Third, create a higher level of openness.
We need to deepen cooperation within the framework of the APEC, advance the process of the Free Trade Area of the Asia-Pacific, and implement Putrajaya's vision.
It is necessary to fully and deeply participate in the WTO reform, promote the integration of the "Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement", "Comprehensive and Progressive Trans-Pacific Partnership Agreement", and "Digital Economic Partnership Agreement" to build an open Asia-Pacific economy.
Fourth, achieve a higher level of connectivity.
Guided by the APEC Connectivity Blueprint, we will promote hardware connections, software connections, and personnel exchanges in an orderly manner.
China will actively promote the docking of the joint construction of the "Belt and Road" with the development strategies of all parties, and jointly build a high-quality Asia-Pacific interconnection network.
Fifth, build a stable and smooth industrial and supply chain.
We must follow economic laws, adhere to market principles, promote the free flow of factors of production, maintain the production and supply system of goods and services, and create a convenient, efficient and safe Asia-Pacific industrial and supply chain.
We must jointly oppose unilateralism, protectionism, and the politicization and weaponization of economic and trade relations.
Sixth, promote economic optimization and upgrading.
We must adapt to the new round of scientific and technological revolution and industrial transformation, accelerate scientific and technological innovation and institutional innovation, foster new economies, new formats, and new business models, and realize the digital transformation of the Asia-Pacific economy.
We must adhere to green and low-carbon development, build green industries and green finance, and accelerate the establishment of an Asia-Pacific green cooperation pattern, so that the economic development of the Asia-Pacific region will be at the forefront of the world.
Ladies and gentlemen, friends!
China's development has benefited from the Asia-Pacific, and it also contributes to and benefits the Asia-Pacific with its own development.
The Chinese economy and the Asia-Pacific economy are interdependent and deeply integrated. China has become a major trading partner of many Asia-Pacific economies and an important node in the regional industrial and supply chains.
China will unswervingly promote the building of an Asia-Pacific community with a shared future and make more contributions to the stability and prosperity of the Asia-Pacific.
Not long ago, the Communist Party of China successfully held the 20th National Congress, which made an overall plan and deployment for the current and future development of the country, emphasizing the need to comprehensively promote Chinese-style modernization.
——So far, no more than 30 countries have achieved industrialization in the world, and the total population does not exceed 1 billion.
The modernization of China's 1.4 billion population will be an unprecedented event in the history of human development.
In the final analysis, the better development of China's economy and society must inspire the power of more than 1.4 billion people.
We will adhere to the people-centered approach, continue to improve people's living standards, make the middle-income group exceed 800 million in the next 15 years, and promote the continuous development of the ultra-large-scale market.
——An ancient Chinese said: "The way to govern the country starts with enriching the people." China has won the battle against poverty and built a moderately prosperous society in all respects. Now it will continue to promote the common prosperity of all people.
Our common prosperity is to better meet the people's needs for a better life, gradually realize overall prosperity and universal prosperity, adhere to the combination of the market and the government, and the unity of efficiency and fairness, and divide the cake well while making the cake bigger, creating an olive-shaped distribution structure.
The global development initiative I put forward is aimed at solving the problem of unbalanced development.
China is working with more than 100 countries and international organizations to promote the implementation of the initiative and promote the implementation of the outcomes of this year's Global Development High-Level Dialogue.
China is willing to increase resource input in global development cooperation and work with all parties to build a global development community.
——I have said that when high-rise buildings are everywhere in China, the building of the spirit of the Chinese nation should also stand majestically.
We will continue to improve the people's material and spiritual living standards, so that every household has enough food and clothing, and let everyone know the etiquette and honor or disgrace.
We advocate equality, mutual learning, dialogue, and inclusive civilizations. All countries in the world promote the common values of peace, development, fairness, justice, democracy, and freedom. The coexistence of civilizations transcends the superiority of civilizations and provides assistance for the development of world civilizations in a balanced, positive and benevolent direction.
——Chinese-style modernization must take a new path of harmonious coexistence between man and nature.
This is responsible to ourselves and to the world.
In recent years, we have adhered to the concept that green water and lush mountains are invaluable assets, promoted the comprehensive green transformation of economic and social development, and strived to build a beautiful China with blue sky, green land and clear water.
China has set the goal of peaking its carbon dioxide emissions by 2030 and achieving carbon neutrality by 2060. This is our solemn commitment to the international community.
In the past 10 years, China has been one of the countries with the fastest reduction in energy consumption intensity in the world. It has exceeded the goal of reducing carbon emission intensity by 40% to 45% by 2020, and has reduced carbon dioxide emissions by 5.8 billion tons.
China has built the world's largest carbon market and clean power generation system.
It is hoped that all parties will strengthen cooperation, continue firmly on the road of green and low-carbon transformation, and jointly build a community of human and natural life.
- What the Chinese people want most is peace and stability.
Taking the path of peaceful development is a strategic choice made in accordance with the fundamental interests of the Chinese people.
We firmly stand on the right side of history, hold high the banner of peace, development, cooperation, and win-win results, seek our own development while resolutely safeguarding world peace and development, and use our own development to better safeguard world peace and development.
Ladies and gentlemen, friends!
For a long time, the Asia-Pacific business community has been an important force driving regional economic growth.
It has been said that entrepreneurs are both short-term pessimists and long-term optimists.
If there is no awareness of danger in times of peace, it is impossible for an enterprise to run well; if there is no positive expectation for long-term trends, an enterprise will not develop and grow.
It is hoped that friends from the business community will give full play to their entrepreneurial spirit, actively promote economic cooperation, actively participate in China's reform, opening up and modernization drive, and contribute positive energy to the development and prosperity of the Asia-Pacific and the world.
thank you all.