APEC Finance, Central Bank Deputies Meeting EndsThe two-day APEC Finance and Central Bank Deputies Meeting concluded in Suzhou on September 6, with the decision to submit a series of documents to the 8th APEC Finance Ministers' Meeting (AFMM) for endorsement.These documents include the Joint Ministerial Statement, Finance Ministers' Input to the APEC Leaders Declaration, and the Progress Report on Reforming International Financial Architecture. Jin Liqun, Chinese vice-minister of finance and chair of the deputies meeting, said the meeting which testified to the spirit of cooperation was a success and laid a solid foundation for a smooth Finance Ministers' Meeting. He noted that in recent years, especially after the Asian financial crisis, the AFMM has been playing an increasingly important role in strengthening dialogues on macro-economic policies of APEC members and maintaining sustained economic growth across the Asia-Pacific region. The deputies meeting would do a great deal of groundwork to implement the instructions of the AFMM, facilitate various work concerning the process, and provide relevant policy recommendations, thus ensuring and promoting the smooth development of the process, said Jin, who also summarized the work undertaken to prepare for the 8th AFMM, of which China will be the host. The deputies expressed appreciation of the outstanding work conducted by China in promoting the AFMM process during the whole year, especially China's new initiative of the "APEC Finance and Development Program." Expecting this new initiative to play a role in strengthening capacity building in the region, they also expressed willingness to support this program by actively participating in it. The next deputies meeting will be held in Washington, D.C., the U.S., during the 2002 International Monetary Fund-World Bank Spring Meeting. |
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