Chinese minister calls for APEC rejection of protectionism
20/11/2008 17:19
Chinese Commerce Minister Chen Deming called yesterday for APEC member
economies to reject unilateralism and trade protectionism in order to tackle the
international financial crisis.
Chen made the call while addressing the 20th
ministerial meeting of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) scheduled
for yesterday and today in the Peruvian capital.
APEC members should adopt an
approach of fair and just multilateralism in trade and regionalism characterized
by openness and tolerance, Chen said.
He called for the developed members in
the bloc to shoulder more responsibilities.
He also appealed for headway in
the stalled Doha Round talks of the World Trade Organization (WTO), noting the
current priority is to turn the political will into practice.
China will
stick to its policy of opening up, abide by the WTO rules and fulfill its
obligations as a WTO member, Chen said.
He said China will make concerted
efforts with other APEC member economies to keep the Asia-Pacific region as one
of the most open, confident and energetic places in the world.
China, Chen
said, supports the regional integration process in various forms within the APEC
framework to facilitate the promotion of convenience for trade and investment,
the creation of favorable trade environment, trade increase and economic
development in the region.
Chinese Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi, who also
attended the meeting, said the development trend of the Chinese economy remains
generally unchanged.
He said China has adjusted its policy to strengthen the
macro-control over its economy in the face of the current international
financial crisis.
A stable and relatively fast growth of the Chinese economy
is a significant contribution China makes to safeguard international financial
stability and boost world economic development, Yang said.
He noted that the
Chinese government's newly announced measures designed to boost domestic demand
will be a strong driving force for China's economic development and a
contribution to the stable development of the world economy.
On APEC's reform
and development, Yang said the bloc should conduct the reform in a sound and
steady approach for efficient improvement and stronger cooperation.
Yang also
called for more APEC long-term projects for after-disaster reconstruction to
accelerate the reconstruction of disaster-hit regions, work out a model to this
regard and have better exchanges on experience.
The Chinese diplomat said the
promotion of corporate social responsibility within the APEC framework should
conform to the theme of economic cooperation.
The move should focus on
enhancing corporations' competitiveness, improving business and investment
environment for an all-round, harmonious and sustainable development in the
region.
The ministers' meeting was a part of the ongoing APEC Leaders' Week
scheduled for Nov. 16-23.
Xinhua
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