Cooperation: Basis for Liberal Trade and InvestmentEnhancing international cooperation and exchanges in economy and technology and narrowing disparity between developing and developed countries have become a major problem affecting the hefty development of the world economy, according to Zhang Zhigang, deputy director of State Trade and Economic Commission.Zhang, as well as chairman of Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) 2000 China Forum made these remarks when addressing the opening ceremony of the forum Saturday. In his speech, he confirmed the achievements brought about by the economic globalization but also noted some unreasonable situations unfavorable to developing countries. He elaborated on the situations as the long dominance of the developed in capital, technology and knowledge-intensive industries, irrational vertical work division, and further disparity in fund and technology, adding the intensive international competition, which pricks up the monopoly by the developed on high and new tech, hampering tech transferring. When propelling the free trade on one hand, the developed should take more responsibilities and obligations in economic and technologic cooperation and this can be achieved in the patterns of debts relief, eliminating barriers for technologic transferring or enhancing economic and tech assistance, the official pointed out. The APEC members have recognized gradually that stepping up economic and technologic cooperation can help bridge economic gaps between developed and developing countries and create basis for smooth liberalization of trade and investment, he said. |
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