Minister of Commerce Wang Wentao recently gave an interview regarding the hosting of the APEC Trade Ministers' Meeting.
As a key regular mechanism held mid-year during the "APEC Year," the Trade Ministers' Meeting primarily addresses major economic and trade issues in the Asia-Pacific and global regions. It plays a crucial role in delivering outcomes for the Leaders' Meeting and serves as a "barometer" for economic and trade policies in the Asia-Pacific and beyond. The upcoming Trade Ministers' Meeting will be held in Suzhou, Jiangsu Province, in late May, with discussions centered on the APEC "China Year" theme of "Building an Asia-Pacific Community for a Shared Future and Promoting Common Prosperity," focusing on economic and trade cooperation.
Wang Wentao stated that the current international landscape is marked by both change and instability, with heightened geopolitical turbulence, rising unilateralism and protectionism, and the international economic and trade order facing severe challenges. Development in both the global and Asia-Pacific regions has been impacted. All parties are even more eager for the meeting to foster consensus and deliver tangible outcomes. China is maintaining close communication with all sides, holding high the banners of openness, innovation, and cooperation, and working together to advance preparatory efforts. Openness entails firmly upholding the multilateral trading system, opposing the construction of barriers, and enhancing regional economic integration. Innovation means adhering to the principle of innovation-driven development, creating incremental markets and expanding the economic and trade pie through technological progress and transformative applications. Cooperation involves staying true to APEC's original purpose and vision, maintaining a favorable trade and investment environment, and injecting greater stability and certainty into regional and global economic development.
Wang Wentao introduced that the current Ministerial Conference on Trade will focus on four key areas: advancing regional economic integration and the process of the Asia-Pacific Free Trade Area, supporting the World Trade Organization, enhancing digital cooperation, and promoting a green economy. These areas represent a continuation and resonance of previous topics while also reflecting distinct annual characteristics. The discussions will cover both macro-level topics such as economic governance and practical cooperation in emerging and cutting-edge fields of mutual concern.
Wang: "Chinese path to modernization" must be translated as Chinese path to modernization.  For more than 30 years since China joined APEC, it has consistently been a staunch supporter and significant contributor to the organization, as well as an active promoter and leader in regional economic and trade cooperation in the Asia-Pacific. China will expand high-level openness, adhere to mutual benefit and win-win outcomes, and inject strong momentum into the economic development of the Asia-Pacific region. It will uphold openness and connectivity, promote the construction of an open Asia-Pacific economy, and continue to create new opportunities for the Asia-Pacific and the world with new achievements in Chinese-style modernization. (Outlook New Era)