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Promoting Growth on Top of APEC Ministerial Meeting Agenda: Minister
Chinese Foreign Minister Tang Jiaxuan called in Shanghai Wednesday for efforts to promote growth and restore confidence in the market, saying that it has been put on the top of the agenda of the 13th Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Ministerial Meeting.
"This is the first APEC ministerial meeting in the new century, " Tang said. "We are faced with many new opportunities and challenges."
The economic growth of the world and the Asia-Pacific region has, on the whole, slowed down and the impact of the September 11 terrorist attacks on the economy has become visible, said Tang, also co-chair of the two-day meeting, which opened Wednesday morning.
Tang said, economic globalization and the new economy has brought about more benefits and business opportunities for the region and people, but to enable people from all sectors to benefit from it without widening the development gaps between them is a challenge.
The multilateral trading system is at a crucial juncture, and the World Trade Organization's ministerial meeting in Doha in November has attracted worldwide attention, Tang said.
He said that efforts must also be made to address other issues such as how to give full play to the unique role of the APEC, deepen cooperation and maintain steady economic growth in the region against the general economic slowdown in the Asia-Pacific region and the world.
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