Chinese President Xi Jinping today called on APEC members to strengthen solidarity and cooperation to overcome the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic and boost global economic recovery.
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Xi Jinping says co-operation is key to “humanity’s victory over the pandemic”.
Source: China Central Television via AP
Xi made the remarks while addressing the Informal Economic Leaders’ Retreat of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) via video link.
“There is a Mori saying in New Zealand, ‘Turn your face to the sun and the shadows will fall behind you.’ (Te tiro atu t kanohi ki tairwhiti ana tr whiti te r kite ataata ka hinga ki muri ki a koe).
“We have full confidence in humanity’s victory over the pandemic through cooperation. We have full confidence in the prospects of world economic recovery. We have full confidence in a shared, bright future of humanity.
“Let us stand with each other in solidarity, promote anti-Covid cooperation and economic recovery, and work for a bright future of prosperity for all in the Asia-Pacific region,” Xi said.
The meeting was initiated by this year’s APEC chair New Zealand.
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Xi made a four-pronged proposal for Asia-Pacific cooperation, including strengthening international cooperation on Covid-19 response, deepening regional economic integration, pursuing inclusive and sustainable development, and seizing opportunities from scientific and technological innovation.
China has provided more than 500 million doses of Covid-19 vaccines to other developing countries, Xi said, adding that China will provide another NZ$4.2 billion in international aid over the next three years to support Covid-19 response and economic and social recovery in other developing countries.
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In addition, China has financed the founding of a Sub-Fund on APEC Cooperation on Combating Covid-19 and Boosting Economic Recovery, said Xi.
Noting that opening-up and integration is the prevailing trend, Xi said it is important to promote the liberalisation and facilitation of trade and investment and uphold the multilateral trading system with the WTO at its core.
He also called for advancing regional economic integration, with a view to establishing a high-standard Asia-Pacific Free Trade Area at an early date.
General Secretary of the Chinese Communist Party Xi Jinping.
Source: Getty
China attaches great importance to addressing climate change and will strive to peak carbon dioxide emissions before 2030 and achieve carbon neutrality before 2060, said Xi.
China supports APEC in advancing cooperation on sustainable development, improving the List of Environmental Goods, and promoting more efficient, clean and diversified development of energy, the president said.
Noting that the digital economy is an important area for the future growth of the world economy, and the global digital economy is an open and close-knit entity, Xi said win-win cooperation is the only right way forward, while a closed-door policy, exclusion, confrontation and division would only lead to a dead end.
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China will build a new system of open economy of higher standards, create a more attractive business environment, and advance high-quality Belt and Road cooperation, he said, expressing the hope to work with countries in the Asia-Pacific and beyond to achieve higher-standard mutual benefit in win-win cooperation.