President Jiang's Attendance in Past 8 Years

　　Since 1993 when the annual Informal APEC Leaders' Meeting was started, Chinese president Jiang Zemin has attended the meeting and gave important speech for eight times. Jiang presented China's opinions about principle of Asia-Pacific Region's economic cooperation and the development of the organization. Together with other leaders, he make his own contribution to the successful completion of each meeting and APEC's healthy development.

　　

Seattle Meeting (1993)

In November, 1993, President Jiang took part in the first APEC Economic Leaders' Meeting and raised the important question "What kind of a world are we going to usher into the 21st century?" President Jiang raised the spirit of "mutual respect, mutual benefit, mutual opening and mutual development" at the meeting.

　　President Jiang said that it would be a good thing to have genuine peace and prosperity for mankind after joint efforts. The leaders would not be able to account for it to the world people if the world continued to be chaotic, insecure and plagued by economic troubles at the turn of this century. President Jiang also raised the guiding principles for regional economic cooperation: mutual respect, equality and mutual interest, opening to each other and common prosperity.

　　

Bogor Meeting (1994)

During Bogor Meeting, President Jiang elaborated the 5 principles on the economic cooperation in the Asia-Pacific region and put forward the initiative that Meeting of Ministers responsible for scientific and technological cooperation should be convened.

　　Taking the diversity and mutual interdependence in this region into account, President Jiang put forward the 5 principles on the future economic development of the Asia- Pacific region. The 5 principles are:

　　(1) mutual respect and consensus;

　　(2) gradual progress in an orderly and steady manner;

　　(3) mutual opening without exclusion;

　　(4) extensive cooperation, mutual benefit and reciprocity;

　　(5) narrow the gap and achieve common prosperity.

　　President Jiang pointed out clearly that China was in favor of trade and investment liberalization as a long-term goal and the formulation of an appropriate timetable for implementation. He stated that trade liberalization should be based on the principle of non-discrimination and should accommodate the diverseness in the Asia-Pacific region. APEC members should proceed in a gradual, orderly and phased manner.

　　On issues like scientific and technical cooperation as well as human resources development and the construction of infrastructure, President Jiang also posed his thinking and concrete proposals which included an initiative that one APEC Meeting of Ministers responsible for scientific and technological cooperation convened in Beijing.

　　

Osaka Meeting (1995)

During Osaka Meeting in 1995, President Jiang reiterated China' s basic stand about carrying out regional economic cooperation and made public China's decision to reduce its overall tariff level from 1996.

　　In his speech, President Jiang stated that the importance of the revitalization of developing countries to the prosperity of the Asia-Pacific region and the whole world should be recognized from the point of historical view. He pointed out that if the political resurgence of the developing countries can be viewed as a major feature of the international evolution in the second half of the 20th century, then their economic revitalization would be a key hallmark of the new world pattern in the 21st century.

　　President Jiang pointed out that APEC should be developed into a economic cooperation organization with distinct characteristics of the Asia-Pacific region. He also elaborated China's 5 basic positions:

　　(1) Achieving a sustainable economic development in the Asia-Pacific region and the world at large should be the fundamental objective of the cooperation;

　　(2) Efforts should be made to create a favorable external environment for economic growth of the developing members;

　　(3) The principles of unilaterism and voluntarism should be adhered to;

　　(4) It is necessary to give due consideration to existing differences and to keep the process of trade and investment liberalization at a carefully-measured speed;

　　(6) Trade and investment liberalization and economic and technical cooperation should be given equal emphasis.

　　

Subic Meeting (1996)

At 1996 Philippine Meeting, President Jiang gave a systematic and complet speech on APEC members' economic and technology cooperation. His idea of "APEC mode" received wide recognition and has become the guideline of APEC members' cooperation.

　　President Jiang put forward for the first time the "APEC approach" guiding APEC cooperation. President Jiang also announced that China would try to reduce its average import tariff rate to around 15% by year 2000.

　　President Jiang emphasized that economic and technical cooperation and trade and investment liberation are of equal importance. He proposed that a science and technology industrial parks network be set up within APEC in order to accelerate the momentum of integration of science and technology with the economy. President Jiang also proposed that China is ready to open an environmental protection center in Beijing with advanced equipment to APEC members.

　　

Vancouver Meeting (1997)

At the 1997 Vancouver Meeting in Canada, Jiang reiterated his "APEC mode." By suggesting a "21 Century Science and Technology Cooperation Agenda," he invented a new cooperation mode for international economic cooperation. Jiang also talked about China's basic standing on East Asia Economic Turmoil and announced that China had decided to enter the "Information Technology Treatment."

　　President Jiang Zemin urged developed members to fully open their market for technology trade and speed up the transfer of technology to developing members. He proposed that APEC adopt an Agenda for Science and Technology Industry Cooperation into the 21 Century. President Jiang also expounded China's basic position on the East Asian financial crisis and announced that China decided to accede to the Information Technology Agreement and lower its average tariff to industrial products to 10% by 2005.

　　President Jiang pointed out that APEC has its own basic features in its approach, that is giving full consideration to the diversity of its members and acknowledging their divergence in the level and stage of development as well as the consequent differing interests and needs; laying emphasis on flexibility, step-by -step progress and openness; adhering to such principles as equality and mutual benefit, consensus, seeking common ground while putting aside differences as well as voluntarism; and combining individual with collective actions. Practice has proved that the APEC Approach, which responds to the reality in the region, is conducive to achieving a balance of rights, interests and needs of various members. It will also help its member economies to give full play to their capability for common development. Adherence to this approach affords an important guarantee for strengthened cooperation among APEC members.

　　As to economic and technical cooperation, President Jiang pointed out that economic and technical cooperation and trade and investment liberalization are closely linked and should support each other. Science and technology cooperation should be the important content and priority area for APEC cooperation. He expounded views on fully opening the market for technology trade, encourage and speed up the transfer of hi-technologies and other latest technologies to all members and developing members in particular, and rationalize the intellectual property rights regime. He also proposed that APEC adopt an Agenda for Science and Technology Industry Cooperation into the 21st Century, which was highly valued and was fully reflected in the Vancouver Declaration.

　　As to financial instability in Southeast Asia , President Jiang stressed that normal and safe operation of the financial system is crucial to the overall economic stability and development. He emphasized that to maintain a normal financial order and ward off financial risks, we should not only formulate correct economic development strategies and preserve a rational economic structure, but also improve the financial system through strengthened financial supervision and regulation. Meanwhile, we should decline financial policies in light of our specific conditions. We should enhance regional and international financial cooperation, jointly restrain and ward off the impact of excessive speculation of hot money in the world. China is ready to participate in discussions on strengthening financial cooperation in the Asia-Pacific region.

　　During the meeting, President Jiang delivered speeches at the banquet held by Vancouver for the representatives of APEC members and APEC CEO Summit special prolonged meeting respectively. He briefed on China's domestic economic situation and relevant policies and expounded China's stand on the issue of developing cooperation between enterprises within APEC members.

　　

Kuala Lumpur Meeting (1998)

At the Kuala Lumpur Meeting in Malaysia, Jiang made a speech about stabling international financial development. He announced to provide US$10 million to set up "China APEC Science and Technology Cooperation Fund" to help the cooperation among the companies of APEC members.

　　President Jiang pointed out that the Asian financial crisis came out of the accelerated development of the globalization, which was bringing development opportunities as well as grim challenge and risks. He brought forward his opinions on promoting the steady development of the international financial system and giving impetus to the establishment of a new international financial order: strengthen international cooperation and prevent the crisis from spreading; reform and improve the international financial system, secure safe and orderly operation of the international financial market; respect the choice of relevant countries to overcome the crisis.

　　Concerning economic and technical cooperation, President Jiang praised the formulation of APEC Agenda on Science and Technology Industry Cooperation into the 21st century under the leadership of Malaysia. He announced that China would provide 10 million US dollars to set up "China APEC Fund on Scientific and Industrial Cooperation" to finance the cooperation between China and other APEC members in the field of science and technology, etc. As to trade and investment liberalization, President Jiang emphasized that APEC members should be allowed to realize the Bogor goals on the basis of self-determination, voluntarism, flexibility and adopting a pragmatic approach according to the Bogor timetable. APEC members should be allowed to adjust their speed and means according to their own characteristics in an active and steady way.

　　On science and technology cooperation and human resources development, President Jiang pointed out that science and technology are the primary productive forces, and human beings the most valuable resources. He emphasized the following: to carry out science and technology industry cooperation to help enterprises enhance their innovation capability; to increase the financial regulatory and supervisory capability to ward off any risks that might come with the globalization of the international financial market; to provide reemployment training and promote coordinated social and economic progress.

　　At the dialogue between APEC leaders and the representatives of APEC Business Advisory Council (ABAC), President Jiang appreciated the efforts made by the business community to promote the APEC process. He pointed out that enterprises are the basic units for economic activities and carriers of capital and technology. Without participation of enterprises, economic and technical cooperation in the Asia-Pacific region would not develop dynamically.

　　

Auckland Meeting(1999)

At 1999 New Zealand Meeting, President Jiang pointed out that APEC should remain its economic forum and "APEC mode." Paying enough attention to science and technology cooperation is an important experience. He also talked about the organization's future development and members' major cooperation area.

　　President Jiang stressed that keeping its nature as an economic forum, maintaining its unique "APEC approach" and attaching importance to economic and technical cooperation is the important experience of APEC to maintain vitality and make achievements.

　　President Jiang put forward important proposals on the development direction of APEC and the focus of cooperation. He stressed that APEC should: actively promote common economic prosperity in the Asia-Pacific region; deepen regional economic and technical cooperation so as to lay a solid foundation for medium and long-term development of the Asia-Pacific; actively and steadily push forward the process of trade and investment liberalization and promote a sound development of the multilateral trading system; actively strengthen the cooperation in the international financial field and promote the establishment of a new, fair, and rational international financial order; firmly adhere to the right development direction of APEC and maintain the vigour and vitality of the organization; actively press ahead with the mutually beneficial cooperation among APEC members.

　　President Jiang also delivered a speech on APEC CEO Summit. He expressed that Chinese government will continue to encourage and support its enterprises to participate in APEC cooperation and to meet the challenge of globalization.

　　

Brunei Darussalam Meeting(2000)

Chinese President Jiang Zemin briefed APEC leaders at their 8th annual meeting in Brunei on the preparations for the 2001 APEC Meeting to be held in China.

　　Jiang said　that the Chinese government and people have devoted much effort to the meeting, which he believed will be a high- standard gathering of the new century.

　　Centering on the theme of "Meeting new challenges in the new century: achieving common prosperity through participation and cooperation", Jiang said the APEC 2001 meeting's agenda include the following three aspects: first, strengthening capacity building and opening up new opportunities for future development so that all members will benefit from globalization and the New Economy; second, promoting trade and investment and facilitating the establishment of a more reasonable multilateral trading system; and third, creating a favorable macro environment for the sustainable economic development of the Asia- Pacific region.






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