Building an Inclusive Open Asia-Pacific Economy for All
Remarks by H.E. Xi Jinping
President of the People’s Republic of China
At Session I?of the 32nd APEC Economic Leaders’?Meeting
Gyeongju, October 31, 2025
Your Excellency President Lee Jae Myung,
Colleagues,
It is?my?great pleasure to be here in?Gyeongju, a city?of?rich history and culture, to?join you in discussing?the future of the Asia-Pacific. Let me begin by?thanking?President Lee Jae Myung and the ROK?government for the thoughtful arrangement.
Over?the past 30-plus?years since its founding, from drafting the blueprint of the Free Trade Area of the Asia-Pacific (FTAAP) to advancing the vision of an Asia-Pacific community, APEC has been spearheading the region’s rise to the forefront of global open development, and has made the Asia-Pacific the most dynamic part of the?global economy.
Currently, changes unseen in a century are?accelerating?across the world. The international situation is fluid?and turbulent. The Asia-Pacific?faces?growing uncertainties and destablizing factors in its development.?The rougher the seas, the more we must pull together.?We should stay true to?APEC’s founding mission?to promote economic growth and improve people’s lives, and champion open development where everyone shares opportunities and emerges a winner. We should promote a universally beneficial and inclusive economic globalization, and build an Asia-Pacific community. To this end, I wish to make five proposals.
First, we should work together to?safeguard the multilateral trading system.?We must practice true multilateralism, and enhance?the authority and effectiveness of the multilateral trading system with the WTO at its core. We should stick to the right direction of WTO reform, uphold the most-favored-nation?(MFN),?nondiscrimination?and other fundamental principles, and update international economic and trade?rules to?reflect?the changing times, so as to better protect the legitimate rights and interests of developing countries.
Second, we should work together to build an open economic environment?in the region.?We should keep promoting trade and investment liberalization and facilitation, deepen fiscal and financial?cooperation, and steadily push for regional economic integration. With?the RCEP being implemented to high standards and the CPTPP membership expanding, we should help the two?align with each other?and?progress together?so as to inject impetus into the development of the FTAAP.
Third, we should work together to keep industrial and supply chains stable and smooth.?We must?join hands?rather than part ways, and strengthen our links rather than sever them. We should vigorously expand our common interests, and support the open development of supply chains.?The tenth anniversary of the APEC Connectivity Blueprint?gives us a good opportunity to strive for concrete?and tangible?results?in physical, institutional?and people-to-people connectivity?so as to?further consolidate the?foundations?for open development?in our region.
Fourth, we should work together to advance the digital and green transformation of trade. We should make digital technologies a strong catalyst for cross-border trade, and promote practical cooperation in paperless trade, smart customs?and other areas. We must remove various green barriers, and expand cooperation in green industries, clean energy and green minerals. The Asia-Pacific Model E-port Network and the Cooperation Network on Green Supply Chain?initiated by China under APEC?have become important platforms for regional cooperation on?the digital and green upgrades for?trade.
Fifth, we should work together to promote universally beneficial and inclusive development. We should adhere to?the people-centered development philosophy, focus on imbalances in?development, and foster an?economic globalization that is more inclusive,?sustainable, and beneficial?to all peoples?in the?region. China?is working with various parties to promote the high-quality development of the Belt and Road Initiative, and supports the modernization drive of more developing countries, which will help open up new space for global development.?We have given zero-tariff treatment on?100 percent tariff lines?from the least developed?countries having diplomatic relations with China, and stand ready to extend the same treatment to all African countries having diplomatic relations with China through the signing of agreements on economic partnership for shared development. We?will continue to strive for common development and shared prosperity?with all nations.
Colleagues,
China always pursues the basic state policy of opening up, and has taken?real steps to promote an open world economy. Over the past five years, China has ranked as?the world’s largest trader in?goods and the second?largest in services. It has?attracted more than US$700 billion in?foreign investment?in total, and its outbound investment?has been increasing by over five percent on annual average.?We have been shortening the negative list for foreign investment, and applying the unilateral visa-free policy?to more countries. We are steadily expanding?voluntary and unilateral opening up, and have actively aligned with high-standard international economic and trade rules through our 22 pilot free trade zones. China’s door?to the world?will not close; it will only open wider?and wider.
A few days ago, the Recommendations for Formulating the 15th Five-Year Plan were?adopted?at?the fourth plenary session of the 20th Central Committee?of the Communist Party of China. We?will take this opportunity to further deepen reform comprehensively?and expand high-standard opening up, and create new?opportunities for the Asia-Pacific and the world?through?the latest achievements of Chinese?modernization.
Thank you.
