Xi's remarks chart course for Asia-Pacific region to defeat pandemic, restore economic growth: Chinese FM

BEIJING -- President Xi Jinping has put forward a series of proposals for deepening regional cooperation, charting the course for the Asia-Pacific region to defeat the pandemic and restore economic growth, Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi said on Friday.

Wang made the remarks when receiving an interview on Xi's attendance of the 28th Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Economic Leaders' Meeting on Friday and the APEC CEO Summit on Thursday.

"This is a major multilateral event focusing on the Asia-Pacific region attended by Xi after the general debate of the UN General Assembly and the G20 summit, which is of great significance for deepening anti-pandemic cooperation, promoting world economic recovery and advancing the building of an Asia-Pacific community with a shared future," Wang said.

During the keynote speech at the APEC CEO Summit, Xi called for making all-out efforts to fight COVID-19, staying confident and forging ahead with determination.

China has announced that it would provide a total of two billion doses of vaccines to the world in the course of this year, and has so far provided over 1.7 billion doses, including donations to more than 110 countries.

China has also undertaken to offer three billion U.S. dollars over the next three years to support COVID-19 response and economic and social recovery in fellow developing countries.

"These measures demonstrates China's role as a major responsible country, contributing to strengthening global preparedness against epidemics and promoting anti-pandemic cooperation in the Asia-Pacific region," Wang said, adding that the declaration adopted at the leaders' meeting also reflects China's anti-pandemic cooperation concepts, including the people-centered approach, promoting fair distribution of vaccines and eliminating the "immunization gap".

At the APEC Economic Leaders' Meeting, Xi further elaborated the Global Development Initiative, which aims at steering global development toward a new stage of balanced, coordinated and inclusive growth.

This initiative is another important public goods provided by China to the international community, Wang said, adding that it focuses on the United Nations 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, and will provide new development opportunities for developing countries and is of great significance to the sustainable development of the Asia-Pacific region.

Noting the ongoing 26th session of the Conference of the Parties (COP26) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change in Glasgow, Wang said the important propositions put forward by Xi demonstrates China's determination to resolutely tackle climate change and consolidates the consensus of sustainable development cooperation in the Asia-Pacific region, which will promote the green transition of the region and the fostering of a community of all life on Earth.

Citing Xi's remarks on upholding open regionalism, Wang said this reflects the common aspirations of the people in the region for peace and cooperation, and charts the direction of Asia-Pacific cooperation, which will surely receive more and more support from regional countries and the international community.

Noting that this year marks the 30th anniversary of China's joining of APEC, Wang said that China's opening-up and development are closely linked to the Asia-Pacific region.

Xi's speech spoke highly of China's cooperation with APEC, pointing out that the past 30 years have been three decades of deepening reform and opening-up for China, and of broadening economic cooperation across the Asia-Pacific, Wang said.

China will always be a staunch supporter and active promoter of Asia-Pacific regional economic cooperation, integrating its own development with regional development, driving the opening-up of the whole region through its own opening-up, and actively promoting economic development, social progress and improvement of people's livelihood, he added.