Asia-Pacific Media High-end Forum Held in Shenzhen: Talking about Asia-Pacific Regional Cooperation and Connectedness

SHENZHEN, Sept. 5 (Xinhua) -- This year marks the "China Year" for the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC), as regional cooperation in the Asia-Pacific is expanding into multiple fields. At the high-level Asia-Pacific Media Forum held in Shenzhen on the 5th, Chinese and foreign delegates agreed that closer Asia-Pacific cooperation requires not only economic and trade connectivity but also mutual understanding and shared aspirations.

The Asia-Pacific region accounts for one-third of the world's population, over 60 percent of global economic output, and nearly half of global trade, making it the most dynamic growth belt in the global economy. China is regarded as the driving force and accelerator for regional cooperation in the Asia-Pacific.

Zhu Min, former Deputy Managing Director of the International Monetary Fund (IMF), stated at the forum that China's economic structure is undergoing accelerated adjustment, with new growth drivers expanding rapidly. For instance, in the first half of the year, China produced an average of over 1.5 billion integrated circuits daily, and the daily volume of token calls exceeded 100 trillion. Meanwhile, institutional opening-up in sectors such as services and finance is advancing steadily. This brings new platforms and opportunities for the development of Asia-Pacific regional cooperation.

The continuous deepening of regional cooperation is enabling more Asia-Pacific economies to share the dividends of development.

The China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) is a flagship project of the Belt and Road Initiative jointly built by China and Pakistan, and a model of mutual benefit and win-win cooperation. Shehzad Khalil, State Minister for Climate Change and Environment Coordination of Pakistan, said at the forum that as CPEC enters its 2.0 phase, the focus of bilateral cooperation has shifted from infrastructure construction to industrial development, expanding from roads and power plants to exports, technology transfer, and job creation for youth. "Such fruits of prosperity are visible, measurable, and tangibly felt by the general public," he said.

Not long ago, a Chinese container ship successfully reached Russia's Murmansk Port for the first time, marking the official launch of regular cargo transport services linking Chinese coastal ports with Russia's largest deep-water port within the Arctic Circle via the Northern Sea Route. Dmitry Gornostayev, Vice President of the Russia Today Media Group, who attended the forum, believed that this milestone event has opened up new space for cooperation in the Asia-Pacific region.

Moving from economic and trade connectivity to deeper cooperation requires mutual understanding. Participants held that enhancing mutual understanding and trust can inject more momentum into the continuous deepening of Asia-Pacific cooperation.

"Sustainable partnerships are built not only on roads, ports, and investments, but also on shared narratives, mutual trust, and understanding," Khalil proposed. He stated that achieving common prosperity in the Asia-Pacific region relies on cooperation rather than coercion, open trade rather than barriers, and dialogue rather than division and confrontation.

Costas Ikonomou, Senior Vice President of Cable News Network (CNN), pointed out in his speech that the Asia-Pacific region is surging with vibrant economic vitality, riding the wave of technological innovation, showcasing diverse and brilliant cultures, and connecting many countries with distinct historical contexts.

"This diversity should not be seen as an obstacle, but as a source of strength," Ikonomou said. "Precisely for this reason, cooperation is crucial. All parties should promote dialogue among different viewpoints and build bridges of mutual understanding in places that may be divided by distance, language, or misunderstanding."