Chinese President Xi Jinping on Wednesday pushed for “win-win cooperation” among Asia-Pacific nations in the pursuit of economic development, and also spoke about the need to foster an environment of peace to bring this about.
In his keynote address at the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (Apec) Leaders’ Meeting, Xi said the group must be used as a platform to create synergy, while policy dialogue and coordination must be stepped up.
Common development
“We must focus on development and spare no effort to foster an environment of peace conducive to development, and never allow anything to disrupt the Asia-Pacific development process,” Xi said.
Asia-Pacific nations could cooperate while competing and achieve common development, he said, and conflicts could be resolved through dialogue.
“We must adhere to the concept of win-win cooperation and community of shared future, cooperating while competing and achieving common development through cooperation. We must recognize diversity in development paths, respect each other’s development path chosen in light of specific conditions, and resolve differences through dialogue and consultation,” he said.
The Pacific Ocean could be a place that nations could call a “common home,” he said.
Xi said the sustainable development agenda must be implemented and incorporated in national development strategies.
Connectivity
Nations must also promote connectivity, he said.
“Connectivity will make the Asia-Pacific economy more vibrant and this in turn will increase potential in economic and social development,” he said.
Connectivity, he said, focuses on infrastructure, rules, institutions and personnel. Through it, countries could align national development strategies, plans and programs and identify priority areas and projects, he said.
“The supply chain, the industry chain and the value chain of the Asia-Pacific need to be improved so as to achieve economy of scale and combined effects, which will serve the interests of the overall invigoration of the Asia-Pacific economy,” he said.
Sea row
Xi’s visit to the Philippines comes amid tensions with the Philippines over disputed territory in the South China Sea.
The Philippines has hauled China before a United Nations arbitral tribunal in The Hague for a resolution of their territorial dispute.
China has refused to participate in the proceedings, but the tribunal has accepted the Philippine case and set oral arguments for later this month.
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