President Hu Jintao yesterday urged participants in an Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation forum to strengthen cooperation while seeking greater mutual understanding.

His talk, titled "An Open Mind for Win-Win Cooperation," was delivered at the APEC CEO Summit in the South Korean port city Pusan.

Non-traditional security issues such as terrorism, financial risks and natural disasters are posing a threat to the very existence of mankind, Hu said.

"It is important that people of all countries work together in good faith to meet all challenges and risks and bring about a stable security environment for common development and prosperity," Hu told the APEC business leaders.

The Chinese president said that building a harmonious world with an open mind was a basic prerequisite to achieving cooperation that benefits everyone.

"We should respect the right of all countries to independently choose their own development paths, promote greater dialogue and exchanges among civilizations in the spirit of democracy and equality," Hu said.

Hu will remain in Pusan to attend today's APEC Economic Leaders Meeting.

"We should draw from each other's strong points, tolerate differences and work together for a harmonious world featuring lasting peace and common prosperity," Hu said.

The Chinese president also said that "deepening mutual trust and expanding trade and economic exchanges" will lay a solid foundation for cooperation.

"We should vigorously promote trade and investment liberalization on the basis of mutual trust, further reduce restrictions on the export of technologies and remove trade barriers to create a fair, just, reasonable and open environment for trade," Hu said.