APEC held the 37th Foreign Affairs and Trade Ministers’ Meeting

On November 3, the 37th Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Ministers of Foreign Affairs and Trade Meeting was held in Beijing via video link. The meeting was co-chaired by Wang Yi, member of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and Minister of Foreign Affairs, and Wang Wentao, Minister of Commerce. Representatives from APEC member economies, the Chairman of the 2026 APEC Senior Officials Meeting, the Executive Director of the Secretariat, the Chairman of the Business Advisory Council and observer representatives attended.

Wang Yi said that this year is the first time in 12 years that China will serve as the host of APEC again. China, together with member economies, has successfully held more than 300 meetings and events of various types around the theme of "Building an Asia-Pacific Community and Promoting Common Prosperity" and focusing on the three priority areas of "openness, innovation and cooperation". APEC's "Year of China" has achieved a series of cooperation results.

Wang Yi said that in the face of the ever-changing international situation, the Asia-Pacific region has always been a stable sector, an engine of growth, and a highland for cooperation. At present, economic globalization is encountering headwinds. Where will Asia-Pacific cooperation go? This is a question of the times that we must answer. President Xi Jinping pointed out that we must adhere to APEC's original intention of promoting economic growth and improving people's well-being, insist on sharing opportunities and achieving win-win results in open development, promote inclusive and inclusive economic globalization, and build an Asia-Pacific community. This important statement by President Xi Jinping points out the direction for us to promote Asia-Pacific cooperation under the new situation.

Wang Yi said that China is willing to work with all members to promote the building of the Asia-Pacific community in depth and concreteness. First, we must build a solid foundation for unity and practice the concept of community. Adhere to mutual respect, deepen unity and cooperation, and implement the concept of the Asia-Pacific community with practical actions. Second, we must create an open pattern and maintain the momentum of integration. Maintain the multilateral trading system with the World Trade Organization as its core, give play to the leading role of regional trade arrangements, and build an open Asia-Pacific economy. Third, we must jointly build an innovation ecosystem and cultivate new growth drivers. Accelerate the digital and intelligent transformation of Asia-Pacific and cultivate new growth points for cooperation. Fourth, we must expand cooperation paths and achieve sustainable development. Adhere to inclusiveness, advocate green and low-carbon, and maintain energy and food security.

Wang Yi said that the upcoming APEC leaders’ informal meeting is an important meeting related to the future development of the Asia-Pacific. China is willing to work with all parties to do a good job in the final stage of APEC's "Year of China" and contribute to the fruitful results of the leaders' meeting.

Wang Wentao said that with the current international situation intertwined with chaos, the risk of fragmentation of production and supply chains rising, and world economic growth sluggish, APEC parties should continue to contribute pragmatic and effective "Asia-Pacific solutions" to Asia-Pacific and global development. First, adhere to free trade and create an open and win-win development model. Continuously improve the path to the construction of the Asia-Pacific Free Trade Area in the new era, use flexible methods to negotiate more open cooperation arrangements, strengthen coordination of macro policies and economic and trade rules, and reduce trade and investment barriers. The second is to persist in innovation-driven development and create a dynamic growth engine. Strengthen discussions on digital and smart economic and trade rules and policy coordination, and explore the establishment of trust-based digital and smart economic partnerships. The third is to persist in working together and creating a fair and reasonable international economic and trade order. Set an example in supporting the operation and reform of the WTO and safeguard the legitimate rights and development interests of different economies in international economic and trade exchanges.

Wang Wentao said that China has always unswervingly promoted high-level opening up, continued to expand independent opening up, fully implemented national treatment for foreign-invested enterprises, created a unified, open, competitive and orderly market system, persisted in innovation with an open door, encouraged open source openness, cooperation and sharing of new technologies such as artificial intelligence, and took practical actions to promote regional economic integration and build an open world economy.

In their speeches, all parties participating in the meeting positively commented on the progress of cooperation in various fields of APEC's "Year of China" and the broad consensus reached by all parties. They thanked China for its important role in promoting APEC cooperation and expressed their willingness to work together to complete various tasks of APEC's "Year of China" and jointly promote the success of this year's APEC Leaders' Informal Meeting.