The second session of the 16th APEC Economic Leaders’ Meeting is held

Hu Jintao attended the meeting and delivered a speech on such topics as regional economic integration, human security and climate change

The second session of the 16th APEC Economic Leaders’ Meeting was held in the conference center of Peru’s national defense department, Lima, on November 23, 2008. Chinese President Hu Jintao attended the meeting and delivered a speech covering such topics as regional economic integration, human security and climate change.

On the regional economic integration, Hu pointed out that with ever closer trade and economic ties among APEC members, the process of regional economic integration has been developing continuously. We should encourage and support such a positive tendency. The top priority now is to achieve the Bogor Goals as scheduled and seek early outcome of the Doha round of talks of the World Trade Organization. The issue of setting up a free trade area in the Asia-Pacific region has drawn wide attention recently, which reflects the desire of APEC members to accelerate the process of regional economic integration. China is ready to work with other APEC members to continue pushing forward regional economic integration and conduct research on such issues as the prospect of Asia-Pacific free trade area.

Talking about human security, Hu noted that China has suffered severe snow storm in its southern region and massive earthquake in Wenchuan of Sichuan province this year. Other APEC members have also experienced numerous natural disasters like earthquake, typhoon, draught, tsunami and flood in recent years, causing huge loss of property and human life. Natural disaster has become a major threat to this region. Since the beginning of 2008, APEC has conducted effective cooperation in disaster relief and taken a series of actions to increase its members’ awareness of disaster prevention and reduction. China supports the proposal of APEC to establish a regional disaster management and coordination center. In the future, APEC members should continue to deepen cooperation on disaster relief, actively conduct policy dialogue, strengthen experience sharing and technical assistance and give top priority to enhancing their ability in disaster monitoring, early warning, emergency response and post-disaster reconstruction so as to effectively protect the security of human life and property in this region. China will actively support and participate in APEC’s efforts of disaster prevention and alleviation.

Concerning climate change, Hu said that it is a big challenge faced by all human beings. We made in-depth discussions on climate change at Sidney meeting last year and issued the Sidney declaration on climate change, energy security and clean development to demonstrate our firm determination of addressing the issue. The negotiations on implementing the Bali roadmap stand at a critical stage. China hopes that all parties concerned work closely to make comprehensive and effective arrangement for the implementation of the convention as early as possible according to the Bali roadmap. We will actively participate in related negotiations and make joint efforts with all the parties concerned to seek positive outcome of the negotiations. The Chinese government attaches great importance to the issue of climate change and has taken various measures to handle it and improve the ecological environment. China has formulated the National Plan for Coping with Climate Change, set up a national leading group, improved the working mechanism and defined the specific goals, basic principles, key areas, policy measures and implementing procedures of addressing climate change. China has set the objectives of cutting 20% of energy consumption per unit of GDP and increasing the proportion of renewable energy to 10% and forest coverage to 20% by 2010 over 2005. Various efforts are well underway and initial results have been achieved. China will continue to make relentless efforts to reach those objectives.

APEC leaders took group photos in traditional Peruvian costumes at noon.

Hu then attended the ceremony of announcing A New Commitment to Asia-Pacific Development - Declaration of the 16th APEC Economic Leaders’ Meeting. The document said that the economic leaders of APEC gathered in Lima, Peru. The theme chosen for APEC 2008 highlights the importance of reducing the gap between developed and developing member economies. We are committed to strengthening the social dimension of globalization and ensuring that all members and all sectors of our economies can access the skills and opportunities to participate in, and benefit from, regional and global trade and investment.

The declaration stressed that the current global financial crisis is one of the most serious economic challenges we have ever faced. We will act quickly and decisively to address the impending global economic slowdown. We welcome the monetary and fiscal stimulus provided by APEC member economies and will take all necessary economic and financial measures to resolve this crisis. Our resolve to address the deteriorating global economic situation and support a prompt, ambitious and balanced conclusion to the WTO Doha Development Agenda (DDA) negotiations is outlined in a separate statement issued at this meeting.

The16th APEC Economic Leaders’ Meeting concluded after the end of the ceremony.

Hu attended the working luncheon of APEC Economic Leaders’ Meeting.

The 17th APEC Economic Leaders’ Meeting will be held in Singapore in 2009.