Ahead of APEC meeting, People's Daily commentary stresses keeping Asia-Pacific cooperation in right direction

BEIJING, Nov. 14, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- The 30th Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Economic Leaders' Meeting will soon kick off in San Francisco, the United States.

China's People's Daily on Nov. 14 issued a commentary under the pen name of Huan Yuping, calling on all parties in the Asia-Pacific region to take a strategic and long-term perspective on Asia-Pacific cooperation, uphold APEC's role as the main channel in regional cooperation, and keep Asia-Pacific cooperation in the right direction.

In November 1993, APEC economic leaders met for the first time at Blake Island, Seattle, outlining APEC's vision of stability, security and prosperity for people in the region.

Currently, the Asia-Pacific region enjoys overall stability, and regional cooperation continues to make progress. Peaceful development and win-win cooperation remain the mainstream.

At the same time, the world enters a new period of turbulence and transformation, with an evolving economic landscape impacting the development environment and cooperation framework in the Asia-Pacific region.

The Huan Yuping article pointed out that since its establishment more than 30 years ago, APEC has gradually grown into the highest-level and most influential mechanism for economic cooperation covering the broadest area in the Asia-Pacific region. It has witnessed the historical achievements of Asia-Pacific development and is an important propeller of the "Asia-Pacific miracle," the article said.

The article stressed that only by adhering to the right direction can regional countries renew the "Asia-Pacific miracle" together. Each APEC member should uphold the purposes and principles of APEC, continuously deepen partnerships in the Asia-Pacific region, promote the spirit of the Asia-Pacific family, and work together in solidarity and with mutual assistance.

Building an Asia-Pacific community with a shared future is the correct choice that conforms to the trend of history, regional consensus, and the will of the people, according to the article.

The article said that in the past few decades, the Asia-Pacific region has entered a fast lane of development, and a crucial premise for this is that the region has maintained a peaceful and stable environment.

To renew the "Asia-Pacific miracle," the region must cement the foundation of peace and development. All relevant parties must abide by the purposes and principles of the UN Charter, pursue the vision of common, comprehensive, cooperative and sustainable security.

They also need to build an Asia-Pacific security architecture to create conditions for ensuring economic development and durable peace and stability in the Asia-Pacific, the article added.

According to the Regional Economic Outlook for Asia and Pacific recently released by the International Monetary Fund, the region is expected to grow by 4.6 percent this year, and economic activity in Asia and the Pacific remains on track to contribute about 2/3 of global growth in 2023. This once again highlighted the Asia-Pacific region as the most dynamic and promising economic area of the world, and a crucial engine for global economic growth.

The article emphasized that Asia-Pacific economies are highly complementary in their development, and their interests are deeply integrated. Deepening regional economic cooperation has a profound historical inevitability and responds to the call of the people in the region.

All relevant parties should adhere to open regionalism, strengthen coordination of macroeconomic policies, build closer regional industrial and supply chains, promote trade and investment liberalization and facilitation, steadily advance regional economic integration, and strive to build a high-level Free Trade Area of the Asia-Pacific as soon as possible, the article said.