BEIJING, Nov. 12  -- The just-concluded series of Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) meetings here have introduced a number of fresh buzzwords to the world, such as the FTAAP, the Belt and Road, regional connectivity and the Asia-Pacific Dream.

Experts, analysts, scholars and political and business leaders across the world have tuned in to these new terms, which not only enjoy high-end phraseology but also hold rich pragmatic connotations.

Former Australian Prime Minister Bob Hawke, who was the first to publicly broach the idea of APEC in 1989, said he was deeply impressed by the viable proposals put forward by the Chinese leadership.

"Obviously, Asian states will achieve more if they cooperate more closely and give scope to huge regional advantages," Hawke said in an interview with Xinhua last week.

THE FTAAP

Roberto Azevedo, director-general of the World Trade Organization (WTO), said that if the Free Trade Area of the Asia-Pacific (FTAAP) could be realized successfully, it would be compatible with multilateral trade systems and complement the WTO.

Los Angeles City Mayor Eric Garcetti said launching the FTAAP is very conducive to eliminating trade barriers and enhancing international economic and trade exchanges.

At present, half of the Chinese exports to the United States are channeled through Los Angeles, Garcetti said.

As a crucial port linking China-U.S. trade, Los Angeles looks forward to being engaged in the 21st Century Maritime Silk Road to continue to elevate bilateral economic and trade cooperation so as to further benefit the city's economy, he added.

THE BELT AND ROAD

During the APEC meetings, Chinese President Xi Jinping pledged 40 billion U.S. dollars to set up a Silk Road fund for investing in infrastructure, resources and industrial and financial cooperation, and other projects related to connectivity for Asian countries.

The Belt and Road notion refers to the Silk Road Economic Belt, which runs from China via Central Asia and Russia to Europe, and the 21st Century Maritime Silk Road, which runs through the Malacca Strait to India, the Middle East and East Africa.

The two initiatives, raised by Xi a year ago, have become the bedrock of China's efforts to improve regional interconnectivity as well as economic and trade cooperation.

At the APEC Beijing meetings, the Belt and Road plans were warmly endorsed by leaders of other countries.

Singaporean Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong said his country will fit in the establishment of the Belt and Road. Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif threw his country's support behind the proposals.

Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen said he hopes his country could take this opportunity to drive infrastructure construction and economic development.

Bangladeshi President Abdul Hamid pointed out that his country wishes to seize the chance to promote trade with China and connectivity with other countries.

REGIONAL CONNECTIVITY

Regarding connectivity, a major topic of the APEC meetings, Oleg Bogomolov, an economist with the Russian Academy of Sciences, said Xi's speech highlighted the importance of strengthening Asia-Pacific regional connectivity and promoting regional technological innovation.

The Asia-Pacific region has abundant natural resources, broad markets, and huge development potentials, he said, adding that the region needs to integrate resources and speed up regional integration.

On Tuesday, APEC leaders approved the "APEC Connectivity Blueprint 2015-2025" to lay the foundation for all-round connectivity in the Asia-Pacific region.

The document outlines the construction of new roads, railways and shipping lanes; the slashing of regulatory constraints; and the easing of barriers to people-to-people interaction and mobility.

Richard H. Frank, president and CEO of Darby Overseas Investments, Ltd., a Washington-based private equity firm, said he was most interested in boosting connectivity and infrastructure construction, because economic growth will not be fast and companies cannot prosper without easy transportation services.

Promoting connectivity and infrastructure construction is a prerequisite for realizing regional economic integration, said Ning Gaoning, chairman of the China Oil & Foodstuffs Co. (COFCO), a state-own grain and oil giant.

To deepen infrastructure construction of the APEC economic entities is not just helpful for shortening the geographical, physical and systematic distances but also good for finding new growth engines, Ning said.

THE ASIA-PACIFIC DREAM

In a speech to APEC business leaders on Sunday, Xi laid out the vision of an "Asia-Pacific Dream."

When elaborating on the idea, the president said the dream is about acting in the spirit of the Asia-Pacific community and out of a sense of shared destinies, following the trend of peace, development and mutually beneficial cooperation, and jointly working for the prosperity and progress of the region.

He added that the dream is about staying ahead of global development and making greater contribution to the well-being of mankind.

Commenting on the vision, Michael Cox, a professor emeritus of international relations at the London School of Economics and Political Science, said he believes that the "Asia-Pacific Dream" concept can contribute to the prosperity and stability of the region.

"Everything that can be done to be able to contribute to the region's stability and economic prosperity clearly must be welcome," he stressed.

On the outcomes of the APEC Beijing meetings, Tang Guoqiang, chairman of the China National Committee for Pacific Economic Cooperation Council, said he is confident that they will be written into APEC history.

The two documents reached by the APEC economic leaders, namely "Statement on the 25th Anniversary of APEC: Shaping the Future through Asia-Pacific Partnership" and "Beijing Agenda for an Integrated, Innovative and Interconnected Asia-Pacific," are of historic significance and will usher APEC cooperation into a brand-new stage.