BANGKOK, Dec. 22 (Xinhua) -- The seven major regions of the world look back in 2023Asia-Pacific: Leading the global recovery through disruptions.
Xinhua News Agency reporter Lin Hao.
In 2023, the Asia-Pacific region will overcome many disruptions, strengthen multilateral cooperation, unleash strong momentum, and lead the global economic recovery, especially the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP), which will accelerate the release of dividends and usher in a new phase of high-quality Belt and Road cooperation. Through its own development and strengthening cooperation in the region, China will promote the next "30 years" of Asia-Pacific development.
The economic recovery has unleashed strong momentum.
Over the past 30 years, the Asia-Pacific region has upheld open regionalism, been open and inclusive, learning from each other's strengths, sharing what is lacking in each other's strengths, focusing on development, and creating an independent, voluntary, consensual and step-by-step APEC approach, promoting the spirit of partnership of harmony while diversity, seeking common ground while reserving differences, and working together in harmony.
In 2023, the Asia-Pacific region will unleash strong momentum to lead the global economic recovery. The Asia-Pacific Economic Outlook released by the International Monetary Organization in October showed that despite some headwinds, the Asia-Pacific region remains a key driver of global economic development in 2023, with full-year economic growth expected to increase from 3.0% in 20229% to 46%。
In the past year, openness, inclusiveness and common development have remained the main theme of Asia-Pacific cooperation. In June, the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) came into full effect for the 15 signatories, and more than 90% of the goods in the region will gradually achieve zero tariffs, further promoting investment liberalization and facilitation in the Asia-Pacific region, and enhancing the endogenous vitality of economic growth in the Asia-Pacific region. China-ASEAN Free Trade Area 3The 0 version of the negotiations was launched at the beginning of the year, which is expected to further reduce tariff and non-tariff barriers, improve the level of investment liberalization and facilitation, help the development of the ASEAN region, and promote regional economic integration.
One of the important manifestations of the economic recovery in the Asia-Pacific region is the accelerated resumption of people-to-people exchanges. Many places and enterprises in China are actively going abroad to carry out investment negotiations, and entrepreneurs and investors in the Asia-Pacific region are returning to China to seek opportunities. Thailand and other countries warmly welcomed the return of Chinese tourists at the airport, which made people feel warm, and the opening of the China-Laos Railway International Passenger Train in April further promoted economic and trade cooperation and cultural exchanges between countries in the region.
Thomas Helbling, deputy director of the International Monetary Organization's Asia-Pacific Department, said that the Asia-Pacific region is expected to contribute more than two-thirds to global economic growth this year. Despite some risks and challenges, the Asia-Pacific region, including China, remains the most dynamic region of the global economy and will continue to make an important contribution to global growth.
Peaceful development has encountered many challenges.
At present, the momentum of world economic growth is insufficient, unstable, uncertain, and unpredictable factors are increasing, and peace and development in the Asia-Pacific region are also subject to many disruptions and challenges.
The interference of foreign powers in the situation on the peninsula, the juggling of right and wrong over the South China Sea issue, and Japan's forced discharge of nuclear-contaminated water into the sea have all become factors of regional instability. What's more, some countries are trying to engage in "decoupling and breaking chains" and "small courtyards and high walls" in the Asia-Pacific region, disrupting the stability of the industrial chain and bringing negative impacts on the world economic recovery. Geopolitical calculations such as the "Indo-Pacific Strategy" and NATO's "Asia-Pacificization" are particularly worthy of vigilance.
This year, China and ASEAN countries successfully completed the second reading of the Code of Conduct in the South China Sea and officially launched the third reading of the Code of Conduct in the South China Sea, and agreed to accelerate consultations on the Code of Conduct, striving to reach an effective, substantive Code of Conduct that conforms to international law at an early date, and building the South China Sea into a sea of peace, friendship and cooperation.
The course of development in the Asia-Pacific region has repeatedly shown that only cooperation can lead to development, that non-cooperation is the greatest risk, and that it is not beneficial for anyone to cobble together an exclusive clique to engage in bloc confrontation. The vast majority of countries in the region have a clear understanding of this, and have made it clear that they are unwilling to take sides and not to be pawns in the game of major powers. Indonesia's Joko Widodo said at the East Asia Cooperation Leaders' Meeting in Jakarta in September that ASEAN countries have no intention of becoming leaders and will be committed to working with all parties to achieve regional peace and prosperity.
Cohesion and cohesion promote common development.
The Asia-Pacific region has always been the region with the most growth dynamism, development potential and economic resilience in the global economy. As the engine of global growth, the Asia-Pacific region shoulders greater responsibilities of the times. China actively advocates Asia-Pacific cooperation, and gives back to the Asia-Pacific region with its own development, so as to unite regional development synergies and achieve common development through the Belt and Road Initiative.
On the occasion of the 10th anniversary of the Belt and Road Initiative, China successfully hosted the Third Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation, ushering in a new stage of high-quality Belt and Road cooperation. On the second anniversary of its official operation, the China-Laos Railway has sent a total of 24.2 million passengers and 29.1 million tons of cargo, injecting new vitality into regional economic and social developmentSoutheast Asia ushered in the first high-speed railway, and the Jakarta-Bandung high-speed railway was officially put into operation in October, accelerating the regional economic take-off.
The year 2023 also marks the 10th anniversary of the initiative to build a closer China-ASEAN community with a shared future and the concept of amity, sincerity, benefit and inclusiveness in neighboring diplomacy. During the East Asia Cooperation Leaders' Meeting, the China-ASEAN Leaders' Meeting issued a joint statement on mutually beneficial cooperation between the Belt and Road Initiative and the ASEAN Indo-Pacific Outlook, and adopted cooperation documents in the fields of agriculture, e-commerce, and scientific and technological innovationThe ASEAN-China-Japan-ROK Leaders' Meeting adopted a joint statement on the development of the electric vehicle ecosystem.
At the 30th APEC Economic Leaders' Meeting in November, Chairman ** delivered an important speech to point out the direction for jointly building the next "30 years" of Asia-Pacific development. All parties should uphold the original aspiration of Asia-Pacific cooperation, respond responsibly to the call of the times, work together to address global challenges, fully implement Putrajaya's vision, build an open, vibrant, resilient and peaceful Asia-Pacific community, and achieve common prosperity for the people of the Asia-Pacific region and future generations.
Development is the eternal theme of the Asia-Pacific region. As we enter 2024, Asia-Pacific countries need to focus on development, deepen cooperation, expand the cake of common interests, and jointly safeguard peace, stability and prosperity in the Asia-Pacific region.