Tang Jiaxuan & Shi Guangsheng: China Confident of Making APEC Century Grand Meeting a Success

In October, the first autumn of the new century and the new millennium, the 2001 APEC Leaders' Informal Meeting, the international conference of the highest level to be undertaken by New China for the first time in its diplomatic history, will be held in Shanghai, known as the "Pearl of the East".

Leaders of the APEC members will gather here to discuss matters of vital importance concerning Asia-Pacific economic cooperation, Chinese President Jiang Zemin will personally preside over the meeting. This is not only a major event of China and the Asia-Pacific region, but also is an important activity that is the focus of world attention. As we recall the course traversed by APEC and China's active participation in regional cooperation, we come to see that this century grand meeting to be hosted by China this year is of important historic significance.

I.Brilliant Course

In the late 80s, there were major changes in the international political and economic pattern. After the conclusion of the Cold War, the confrontation between the East and West camps became things of the past, world polarization, economic globalization and the formation of regional groups gradually became a trend, promoting peace through dialogs and boosting development through cooperation became the main stream of the times. It was against such historical background that APEC came into being in 1989. In November that year, Australia, the United States, Canada, Japan, the Republic of Korea, New Zealand and the then six ASEAN nations held the first ministerial conference in Canberra, capital of Australia, and APEC was formally founded. In the past 12 years, APEC has experienced constant development and has become the most important economic cooperation forum in the Asia-Pacific region, it has played an active role in promoting the world as well as regional economic growth. A review of the brilliant course of the past 12 years shows that APEC has the following three distinguishing features.

(1) Proceeding from the reality of the Asia-Pacific region, it adopted a unique cooperative method

Diversity is the greatest characteristic of APEC. Politically, some APEC members institute the capitalist system, some persist in the socialist road, some are sovereign States, some are regional economies; economically, some are developed members and developing members and some are transitional economies, they are different in their developmental levels; historically, some are ancient countries with a 5,000-year civilization, and some are modern, rising industrial countries; culturally, there are culture of the East and culture of the West.

However, diversity and difference are not tantamount to hindrance to economic cooperation, if correct methods are adopted, characteristics and differences can be turned into an important driving force for the development of cooperation. Through years of exploration and practice, APEC has gradually formed a cooperative method, i.e., "APEC Method", with independence, voluntary participation, and achieving unanimity through consultation as the basic characteristic.

In his speech given at the meeting marking the 80th anniversary of the founding of the Communist Party of China (CPC) General Secretary Jiang Zemin pointed out that the world is varied and colorful. The diversity of the cultures of various countries is the basic feature of human society, as well as the motive force pushing human progress. The historical culture, social systems and development modes of various countries should be respected and the reality of the diversity of the world should be recognized. The unique APEC method for developing cooperation is a concentrated expression of respect for diversity.

(2) Advancing in the forefront of the time, it reaped abundant fruits of cooperation

Over the past 12 years, taking "interdependence, common interest, a persistently open multilateral trading system and reduction of regional trade barriers" as the purpose, APEC has always grasped the question of forward position in global and regional economies, set forth forward-looking policy idea, which has played the role of guiding the direction of world and regional economic development, as a result, rich achievements have been scored in various fields of cooperation.

Since the first leaders' informal meeting was held in 1993, APEC has become the highest-level economic cooperation forum in the Asia-Pacific region and has entered the period of rapid development. After the eruption of the Asian financial crisis in 1997, APEC members strengthened financial cooperation to prevent financial risk.

As the world has stepped into the new century, the questions concerning whether it is possible to turn economic globalization into a "win-win, coexistence" globalization, how to open up development opportunities for the new economy and guard against global economic recession, as well as motivate a new round of WTO negotiation have all been put on the agenda for discussion. This reflects that APEC, a forum full of vitality and vigor can, in line with the development of the situation, feel the pulse of the time, engage in conscious readjustment and progress with time, and advance in the van of the world economic development.

(3) Reflecting the interests of various parties, it pushed ahead with various items on the agenda in a balanced way

Developing the Asia-Pacific regional cooperation aims to promote the economic development of various members and bring about common prosperity. APEC both actively boosts trade and investment and the opening of the market and vigorously develops economic and technological cooperation and capability building. Economic and technological cooperation helps narrow down the gap between the developed and developing members in economic developmental levels, accelerate the economic development of the developing members and turn the potential market into a reality market, thereby providing a broader space for the development of various member countries.

In 1995, through the "Osaka Action Agenda", APEC designated economic and technological cooperation and trade and investment liberalization as two equally important fields in APEC cooperation, this year, APEC has drawn up the "Economic and Technological Cooperation Action Plan", so as to push forward the work of various members in this field by a standard method. This measure has given a great impetus to the process of APEC economic and technological cooperation, thereby evenly pushing forward the various items of the agenda and realizing the goal of common development and common prosperity for various members.

II. Active Participation

APEC has 21 members, with population accounting for 45 percent, GDP 55 percent and trade volume 46 percent, of the world total. Among the APEC members are big countries including the United States, Russia and Japan, and the ASEAN nations as well as countries neighboring China. Whether in terms of economic development or of foreign relations, APEC is of extremely importance to China.

Firstly, APEC is an important base for China to participate in world economic globalization and regional process and is an external force promoting China's reform, opening up and economic development. Along with the expansion of the economic opening degree of various countries and the rapid development of high and new science and technology represented by information technology, economic ties among various countries have become ever-closer, they both depend on and compete with each other. To achieve development, China must further open its door, participate in worldwide competition and plunge itself into the surging tide of globalization. Only when it makes in-depth participation, can it understand the latest world and regional economic developing trends and can it safeguard our rights and interests in a better way. Strengthening economic ties with the Asia-Pacific region and pushing forward the process of APEC cooperation complies with the needs of China's reform and opening up drive.

Secondly, making comprehensive and in-depth participation in APEC cooperation is an important component part of China's general diplomatic strategy of basing itself in the Asia-Pacific region and facing the world. The APEC leaders' informal meeting held each year provides an important place for the Chinese leaders to take a direct part in regional cooperation and to publicize China. President Jiang has delivered important speeches on many occasions, publicized China's foreign policy and at the same time introduced China's reform and opening up process. President Jiang Zemin's presence at the meetings has made outstanding contributions to APEC development along the correct direction, to the further promotion of regional cooperation and to the advancement of the Asia-Pacific regional and world stability and prosperity.

Thirdly, active participation in the APEC process has given a fillip to China's friendly and cooperative relations with other countries. APEC has provided China with opportunities for it to improve and develop bilateral relations with main big countries. . State leaders of China and the United States have repeatedly held meetings. The meeting held at the 1993 Seattle Conference played an important role in improving China-US relationship and enabling it to step into a new stage of development. At the meetings held among President Jiang and leaders of Russia, Japan and some other countries, leaders of these countries exchanged views on bilateral and international and regional issues, which has played an important role in enabling China to develop bilateral ties with these countries. At the same time, many APEC members are our neighboring countries. The APEC process itself has deepened mutual understanding between China and the surrounding nations and strengthened their economic interrelations. The high-level meetings and contacts have expanded consensus between China and these countries, thus bringing about further development of bilateral friendly and cooperative relations.

III. Century Grand Meeting

Hosting the 2001 APEC meeting was a major decision taken by the CPC Central Committee. Successfully holding this grand meeting is of extreme importance.

Making this year's APEC meeting a success will make important contributions to economic stability and prosperity in this region and the world at large. At present, the US economy has slowed down, the economies of some Asian countries and regions are in the process of readjustment, the world economy is faced with the threat of recession. At the time of the arrival of the new century, how to participate in globalization in a better manner, to gain benefits from the new economy and guard against economic recession is a question to the concern of APEC members, as well as their expectation of this meeting.

On the basis of wide-ranging consultations with various members, we defined the APEC meeting's main theme as "new century, new challenge; participation, cooperation and promotion of common prosperity" and we will carry out discussions around three topics under this main theme, the topics are: Strengthening capability building, opening up opportunities for future development, so that the various member countries will benefit from globalization and the new economy; boosting trade and investment, expediting the establishment of a more reasonable multilateral trading system; and creating a favorable macro environment for the sustainable development of the Asia-Pacific regional economy.

As the host, we hope that through the holding of this meeting, concrete achievements will be gained and substantial progress made by propelling the liberalization of APEC trade and investment, economic and technological cooperation, new economy, and the new round of WTO trade negotiation and contribution will be made to regaining confidence in regional and world economic growth, thereby laying a solid foundation for the APEC development in the new century.

Making this year's meeting a success will mean a tremendous impetus to China's reform and opening up cause. Firstly, convocation of the APEC meeting in China will provide a rare opportunity for displaying China's great achievements gained in its reform and opening up drive and economic construction as well as its domestic and foreign policies. Secondly, hosting the APEC meeting will provide a rare opportunity for China to further participate in regional economic cooperation, promote China's reform and opening drive and develop its bilateral ties with related member countries. Thirdly, making this meeting a success will help China play a still greater role in international affairs and enhance its international position. Success in holding this major international conference will again demonstrate that China can and should play a still greater role in international affairs.

The CPC Central Committee and the State Council attach great importance to making this year's APEC meeting a success, leaders of the central authorities show great concern for the work of hosting this meeting. They have repeatedly inquired about and given related important instructions. Under the leadership of the CPC Central Committee and with the efforts of departments concerned, preparations for the meeting are proceeding in an orderly way. By far, we have held APEC meetings of various types and at different levels, this has received widespread favorable comments from various quarters. The various member countries are full of confidence in China's ability to make the leaders' informal meeting a success. Under the chair of China, and with the joint efforts of various member countries, substantial progress has been made in most topics for this year's meeting, thus creating very favorable conditions for the success of this informal meeting.

We believe that under the staunch leadership of the Party Central Committee with Comrade Jiang Zemin at the core, with the energetic support of the people of the whole country and the concerted collaboration of various departments, and through the common endeavor of China and other APEC members, the forthcoming APEC leaders' informal meeting to be held in Shanghai will be a successful century grand meeting. We are expecting of rich achievement for the meeting and thus writing down a new chapter in the history of the Asia-Pacific regional and the world economic development in the new century.

This article are excerpts of the article published on Page 4 of People's Daily on October 16

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