China hopes to see progress on such topics as climate change and clean development, integration of regional economy, multilateral trade and APEC reform at the impending APEC summit, said a senior official with the Chinese Foreign Ministry Tuesday.
The proposal was outlined by Chinese Assistant Foreign Minister Cui Tiankai at a press conference on Tuesday afternoon.
From Sept. 3 to 9, Chinese President Hu Jintao will visit Australia and attend the summit meeting due to be held in Sydney on September 8-9.
"China will make concerted efforts with concerned parties to achieve these objectives", Cui said.
According to Cui, climate change will top the summit agenda and a possible Sydney Declaration on the issue is being contemplated.
"We support discussion and final adoption of such a declaration", Cui said, stressing that such a declaration would demonstrate the determination and positive attitude of APEC members towards the challenge and showcase their desire to raise public awareness thereof around the world.
"As an economic cooperation forum, the APEC should play a larger role in tackling the challenge posed by the climate change", Cui added.
The declaration should also send a clear political message, reiterate the principles of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change and the Kyoto Protocol, support the international negotiation process and promote the pragmatic cooperation on the issue, Cui said.
Cui also replied to a reporter that China was thinking of proposing a forestry recovery and sustainable development network in the Asia-Pacific region.
"Forestry could do a lot of good in tackling climate change", Cui told reporters, saying that China is willing to share its experience on the forestry recovery and sustainable management.
APEC is the premier forum for facilitating economic growth, cooperation, trade and investment in the Asia-Pacific region.
Since APEC's birth in 1989, it has grown to encompass 21 members spanning four continents, and represents about 40 percent of the world's population, 56 percent of global GDP and 48 percent of world trade.
Its members include Australia, Brunei, Canada, Chile, China, China's Hong Kong, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, Mexico, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, Peru, the Philippines, Russia, Singapore, South Korea, Chinese Taipei, Thailand, the United States and Vietnam.
The Leaders of 21 APEC member economies last convened in Hanoi, capital of Vietnam, in 2005. The two-day meeting yielded a Hanoi Declaration breaching issues from advancing free trade and investment, enhancing human security, and building stronger societies as well as a more dynamic and harmonious community.
(Xinhua News Agency August 29, 2007)
