APEC Leaders to Discuss Anti-Terrorism: Wang GuangyaLeaders from the 21 APEC members are expected to make a statement on anti-terrorism when they meet in Shanghai next week-end, according to a report by CCTV.The upcoming APEC meeting is the first get-together of world leaders since the September terrorist attacks in the United States. Vice Foreign Minister Wang Guangya said anti-terrorism is high on the agenda of their two-day meeting next weekend. Wang Guangya said:"The Leaders' Statement will be a political statement. It will be a short one, expressing the political position of all APEC members. The position is condemning international terrorist activities, expressing their strong determination to strengthen cooperation in combating these activities." But Chinese officials said the statement will include few specific measures to counter terrorist attacks. On the sidelines of the meeting, Chinese President Jiang Zemin is scheduled to talk with some of his counterparts, including US President George W.Bush. APEC leaders are meeting at a time when the terrorist attacks have battered the already sluggish world economy. But Wang Guangya said the leaders don't want to lose their confidence. Wang Guangya added:"One of the strong messages coming out of this year's APEC meeting is that despite all these uncertainties, all this slowdown and all these difficulties, APEC members are determined to get united and move forward to implement the Bogar Goal, to push forward the Ecotech. We want this region to recover; we want to see more economic growth in this region. Wang Guangya said APEC leaders will adopt measures to further free up trade and investment among member economies. |
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