The 12th APEC Economic Leaders meeting concluded on Sunday with
the top leaders from 21 Asian-Pacific Economic Cooperation member
economies issuing the Santiago Declaration, "One Community, Our
Future," and launching the Santiago Initiative for Expanded Trade
in APEC.
The leaders reaffirmed their commitment to achieving sustainable
and equitable growth and reducing economic disparities by meeting
the Bogor Goals of trade and investment liberalization and
facilitation.
The initiative has two components: trade and investment
liberalization and trade facilitation.
The declaration indicates that the leaders welcome inputs from
the APEC business community, including the APEC Business Advisory
Council (ABAC), and share its view on the critical importance of
trade expansion and facilitation.
The leaders also reaffirmed their determination to advance the
prosperity and sustainable growth of APEC economies and the
complementary mission of ensuring the security of APEC people. They
vowed to promote good governance and knowledge-based society.
Chinese President Hu Jintao
announced in the Santiago Summit that China will set up an
Asia-Pacific Finance and Development Center, providing a platform
for Asia-Pacific economies to step up exchanges and capacity
building.
He urged APEC member economies to deepen their cooperation in
the promotion of an Asia-Pacific Community.
"Common interests and a common future require us to shoulder
common responsibility and exert joint efforts," Hu said. "We should
grasp the opportunities brought about by economic globalization and
the regional integration process, take full advantage of the APEC
platform to learn from each other and strengthen mutually
beneficial economic and trade cooperation to lay a solid foundation
for achieving sustainable common development."
Hu also proposed that APEC step up efforts in the energy field,
conducting policy dialogues and deepening cooperation among members
to improve energy efficiency, develop alternative sources of energy
and provide affordable energy products to the poor.
Sunday's meeting was the last event in the weeklong APEC
meetings, which also included the Senior Officials Meeting and the
Ministerial Meeting, and concluded the APEC Chile 2004 forum.
Numerous bilateral meetings between the world's key leaders were
held on the sidelines of the meeting.
APEC members include 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.
APEC economies collectively account for 47 percent of world
trade and more than 60 percent of global GDP.
The 13th APEC Economic Leaders' Meeting will be held in Pusan,
South Korea, on November 18 and 19, 2005.
(Xinhua News Agency November 22, 2004)
