Top leaders from 21 member economies of the Asian-Pacific Economic
Cooperation (APEC) forum ended their two-day annual meeting on Sunday with a
declaration onsustainable growth, trade liberalization, human security and good
governance.
Under the declaration titled "One Community, Our Future", also the main theme
of this year's APEC meetings, the leaders reaffirmed their commitment to
advancing development through trade and investment liberalization, enhancing
human security to underpinning growth, promoting good governance and a
knowledge-based society.
Reviewing those comprehensive agreements reached during the two-day meeting,
President Ricardo Lagos of the host country of Chile,highlighted the APEC
leaders' strong support to the WTO Doha negotiations and their determination to
advance the prosperity and sustainable growth of the region.
"The meeting is a big success not only for Chile, but also for all APEC
members," said the president, whose country is the first South American nation
to host APEC events.
Sunday's meeting is the last event of the week-long APEC meetings, which also
include the Senior Officials Meeting and the Ministerial Meeting, and will end
the whole APEC Chile 2004.
Numerous bilateral meetings between the world's key leaders were also planned
on the sidelines of the meeting.
APEC, as the premier forum for facilitating economic growth, cooperation,
trade and investment in the Asian Pacific region, wasset up in 1989 to further
enhance economic growth and prosperity for the region and to strengthen the
Asia-Pacific community.
It now groups Australia, Brunei, Canada, Chile, China, Chinese Hong Kong,
Indonesia, Japan, South Korea, Malaysia, Mexico, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea,
Peru, Russia, Singapore, Chinese Taipei,Thailand, the Philippines, the United
States and Vietnam.