By Zhai Kun

 

President Hu Jintao over the weekend attended the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) meeting. This was the fifth time that Hu has attended an APEC meeting, which shows the particular importance given to it by the Chinese leadership.

 

China's extensive and active involvement in regional cooperative mechanisms such APEC is considered by some Chinese and foreign strategists as an integral and successful part of its grand strategy.

 

A host of factors explain why APEC is important to China.

 

First, APEC members' territories cover Northeast Asia, Southeast Asia, North America, Latin America and Oceania, which embrace the vast Pacific Ocean on all sides. And its 21 members boast pluralistic economies and cultures. Moreover, it is possible that South Asian economies will be included in the future.

 

Second, APEC, founded in 1989, has the longest history among various dialogue mechanisms in the Asia-Pacific region.

 

Third, APEC often sees the attendance of the highest level of leadership at its sessions. This facilitates exchange and communication at the highest level.

 

Fourth, much emphasis is placed on the equality of organizing APEC meetings. The meetings are hosted by members in rotation. This helps bring the hosting member's initiatives into play.

 

However, many researchers and officials believe that APEC has as many shortcomings as strong points.

 

First, they argue, more and more cooperative mechanisms are being introduced in Asia, which impact on APEC. Prominent among these emerging mechanisms, for example, are the East Asia Summit and the 10 plus 3 dialogue between the Association of Southeast Asian Nations on the one hand and China, Japan and Republic of Korea on the other, which are believed to be working to undercut the influence of APEC.

 

Second, the number of APEC members is snowballing. When APEC was founded in 1989, there were only 12 members but today it boasts 21. Now that the end of its second decade in existence is nearing, it means the time has come to enlist more members. At present, some big players like India is applying for APEC membership.

 

Third, APEC's initial targets are being stretched to cover much wider areas. For example, APEC was initially defined as an economic cooperative forum but is now increasingly oriented toward addressing security matters.

 

Fourth, the number of APEC's topics for discussion keeps on increasing and various kinds of ministerial meetings and working conferences follow one after the other in quick succession. To compound this, new proposals from different fields keep pouring in. While the large number of topics are yet to be fully discussed and implemented, more new topics are flooding in.

 

Fifth, the slow progress of APEC does not live up to people's expectations of the organization. Many scholars think APEC is anteroom for idle talk, rather than a venue where substantial results can be achieved.

 

Sixth, regional cooperation in Europe, America and Asia has entered into a period of stock-taking and readjustment, APEC is naturally affected. In view of all this, APEC may be haunted by inherent contradictions.

 

This author, however, is of the opinion that China should try its best to propel the progress of APEC because the grouping's wide-covering, loose-organizational structure, its equality, non-compulsory and voluntary principles, best suit the Asia-Pacific region.

 

To begin with, APEC enables China to look at the world from a global perspective and, in turn, put forward its own ideas on the Asia-Pacific region.

 

Top Chinese leaders have time and again stressed a win-win situation among Asia-Pacific countries and regions and that China's development means an opportunity for the grouping. They have also come up with ideas dealing with peaceful development, a harmonious Asia-Pacific and sustainable development, which have all gained acceptance.

 

In addition, APEC serves as a platform for China to put forward its regional proposals. China has learned to promote mutual trust, clear doubts about its intentions, disseminate its ideas and promote cooperation among APEC members, taking advantage of the stage provided by APEC.

 

For example, Hu at this year's APEC meeting, put forward proposals for resolving important issues concerning the world's sustainable development. Also, the Sydney declaration adopted at the meeting, incorporates China's initiatives on forest renewal and management network. This shows that China's initiatives have become an Asia-Pacific consensus.

 

Finally, APEC offers China a platform through which it can help orchestrate the working of various regional cooperative mechanisms.

 

China and the United States are both APEC members. But the latter, in the face of the rise of East Asian cooperation, is worried that it could be sidetracked in this region and, therefore, suggested the establishment of an Asia-Pacific free-trade zone, at last year's APEC gathering.

 

But many, including WTO secretary-general Pascal Lamy, believe the founding of an Asia-Pacific free trade zone is premature at the present time.

 

Hu remarked at the APEC meeting that the establishment of an Asia-Pacific free-trade zone is a long and gradual process, with many questions needing to be studied, and China is willing to work together with other APEC members toward Asia-Pacific economic integration, including studying the perspective of an Asian-Pacific free-trade zone.

 

This makes clear China's attitude toward the Asia-Pacific free-trade zone: It is not realistic at present but China is willing to work for its materialization in the long run.

 

Hu suggested that common development was China's goal in its participation in Asia-Pacific cooperation. China, therefore, should work closely together with other APEC members on this in order to bring Asia-Pacific cooperation into full play.

 

The author is a researcher with China Institute of Contemporary International Relations

 

(China Daily September 13, 2007)