Apec 2021: Sharing in a future of prosperity

Madame Wu Xi. Photo / Zahn Trotter

Apec is an important institution to promote economic co-operation in the Asia Pacific region.

The Apec Informal Economic Leaders' Retreat held in July this year has released the positive signal that the Asia-Pacific region will work together to defeat Covid-19 and boost economic recovery.

As indicated by President Xi Jinping in his remarks at the retreat, the pandemic proves once again that we live in one global village, where countries stand to rise and fall together. We must stick to solidarity and co-operation as we go through this difficult time and jointly work for a healthier and brighter future for humanity.

The Covid-19 pandemic is evolving with constant mutations of the virus. Controlling the pandemic still poses a difficult challenge, while global economic recovery is still on shaky ground.

The international society is in urgent need of more confidence, aspiration and co-operation. In this context, the upcoming 28th Apec Economic Leaders' Meeting is drawing attention of various parties.

It is China's hope that the various parties will take this opportunity to build consensus for solidarity and co-operation, write out a new prescription for the global fight against the Covid-19, think of new ways for world economic recovery, and inject new driving force in Asia-Pacific co-operation.

It is our hope that the various parties of Asia-Pacific will stand with each other in solidarity and promote anti-Covid co-operation. We need to take aggressive actions to make vaccines a global public good so as to ensure that they are accessible and affordable in developing countries and establish a global great wall of immunisation. We need to keep vaccine supply chains stable and safe, support the movement of essential goods, and take effective measures to restore healthy, safe and orderly cross-border exchanges.

It is our hope that the various parties of the Asia Pacific will pool their efforts to boost economic recovery with mutual beneficial and win-win outcome. We need to be committed to building open economy, taking effective measures to promote economic recovery in individual member economies, and bring the regional trade and economic co-operation back to the normal level at an early date. We need to advance regional economic integration, with a view to establishing a high-standard Free Trade Area of the Asia-Pacific at an early date and make economic globalisation more open, inclusive, balanced and beneficial for all.

It is our hope that the various parties of the Asia-Pacific will continue deepening regional co-operation.

The Apec Putrajaya Vision 2040 has charted the course for economic co-operation in the Asia-Pacific in the coming 20 years.

It will be one of the most significant achievements for the Apec New Zealand year to carve out the implementation plan for the Apec Putrajaya Vision 2040.

China looks forward to working with member economies to advance the implementation of the Vision in a comprehensive, balanced and practical way so as to promote jointly the Asia-Pacific community with a shared future, to boost Asia-Pacific prosperity and development, and to benefit the peoples of the region.

• Ambassador Wu Xi has represented China in New Zealand for three and half years. She leaves mid-November as her tour concludes.