APEC Meeting Ends in Mexico with Leaders' Declaration

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Last updated at: (Beijing Time) Monday, October 28, 2002

APEC Meeting Ends in Mexico with Leaders' Declaration

Leaders of the 21-member Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC), winding up their two-day informal meeting at this Mexican resort on Sunday, vowed to further cooperate in terrorism combat and facilitate global trade talks under the auspices of the World Trade Organization (WTO).

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Jiang and other leaders pose for group photo

Trade facilitation

During the second session of the meeting on Sunday, which was held in the hotel of Ventana al Paraiso or Window to the Paradise,the leaders focused on global economic growth and APEC's traditional topics such as trade and investment liberalization and facilitation.

"Given the risks and difficulties in global and regional economies, it is all the more essential to strengthen coordination and cooperation one another," Chinese President Jiang Zemin told the meeting.

"We should all adopt down-to-earth fiscal and monetary policies,regulate and stabilize the market, and restore the investor and consumer confidence with a view to promoting economic growth," Jiang said.

He urged the developed countries to take the lead in actions and shoulder greater responsibilities.

A new round of trade talks, or Doha Round, launched last year in Doha, Qatar, is also a major topic of the meeting. Leaders pledged to abide by the deadline of January 2005 set in Doha.

Jiang called for more efforts to support an open global multilateral trading system and move Doha Round forward. "A sound multilateral trading system and fair trading environment are key guarantees for a sustained and steady growth of world trade," Jiang said.

WTO contracting parties should adopt a "more pragmatic attitude,bearing in mind their common interests," Jiang said.

"The needs of the developing countries should be given top consideration so that the new round of trade negotiations will truly become one for development," he added. "This makes it essential for APEC to have an in-depth exchange of views on the major issues of the new round of negotiations."

He also urged APEC members to resist trade protectionism and create conditions favorable for economic growth and the healthy development of the multi-lateral trading system.

Terrorism combat

This year's APEC meeting took place following a recent deadly terrorist attack in the Indonesian island of Bali, several bombings in the Philippines and hostage-taking in Moscow, resulting in over 100 deaths.

The fight against terrorism became one of the major topics of the meeting. The leaders discussed the impact of terrorist attacks on the economy and ways to prevent them.

"We condemn in strongest terms the terrorist attacks," Mexican President Vincente Fox said, announcing the adoption of a statement on fighting terrorism at the end of the meeting.

The leaders agreed to strengthen security while promoting free flow of goods and people, stopping terrorist financing while ensuring efficient markets, and protecting communications systems while allowing free flow of information.

Addressing the second session, Chinese President Jiang Zemin said on Sunday that efforts should be made to strengthen anti-terror cooperation so as to create an environment of peace and security for the region's development and prosperity.

"Peace is the important prerequisite for global and regional economic growth, whereas terrorism is posing a serious threat to world peace," he said.

At Saturday's session, Jiang said: "Terrorism, no matter whereit occurs or what form it takes, is a common threat to the whole mankind."

"If allowed to run amuck, that scourge will make peace and security impossible, and economic development out of the question," Jiang said.

When APEC leaders met in Shanghai last year following the September 11 attacks on the US, they issued a joint statement on anti-terror. That meeting is "a good, solid beginning," Jiang said.

"China is a victim to terrorism," Jiang told the meeting. "We strongly condemn and oppose terrorism in all forms and manifestations."

According to the Chinese president, China has agreed to join the Container Security Initiative and welcome such initiatives as the "Secure Trade in the APEC Region" within the APEC cooperation framework and "will continue to firmly support and vigorously participate in the international counter-terrorism cooperation."

Secure Trade in the APEC Region or STAR initiative was proposed by the US on Thursday at the ministerial meeting. It provides safety measures both in goods and people in the region.

Jiang said APEC should step up cooperation in such areas as tighter port and transport security, tougher measures against terrorist network financing and crackdown on Internet crimes, so as to create an environment of peace and security for the economic development and prosperity for APEC members.

Philippine President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo said terrorism impedes prosperity. "Security (problems) impedes prosperity, but at the same time, poverty feeds extremists."

"The war against terrorism is going to be long, difficult and borderless," she said. "If we neglect the economic imperative at this time when we are so concerned with terrorism, we would be feeding terrorism by promoting hunger, disease and ignorance."

Referring to the bombing on October 12 on the island of Bali, Indonesian President Megawati Sukarnoputri said: "We are the primevictim of that act of terrorism."

"Clearly we must fight terrorism that might take place wherever,whenever and by whomever," she said.

The leaders' informal meeting, officially known as the 10th APEC Economic Leaders' Meeting, follows meetings of ministers and senior officials earlier this week.

On Thursday, a joint statement issued by the ministers strongly condemned terrorism in all forms. The economic leaders are also expected to issue a statement on anti-terror cooperation on Sunday.

Each year, APEC leaders wear costumes in the host country's national styles and pose for official photos.

Huipiles and Guyaberas

This year, prior to their second-day session, leaders lined up against the Pacific Ocean on the terrace of Hotel Ventana al Paraiso, in costumes with deep roots in Mexican textile tradition.

The women leaders, including Indonesian President Megawati Sukarnoputri, Philippine President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo and New Zealand's Prime Minister Helen Clark, wear huipiles hand-made by members of the indigenous cooperative SNA Jolobil in the Chiapas highlands in Mexico.

The huipile consists of a swath of cloth, doubled over with an opening for the head. It is the most traditional form of women's clothing in Mexico and has been in use since pre-Colombus times (before 1492).

Huipiles are still woven on handlooms, guaranteeing that each is an individual work of art.

The patterns woven into the cloth date from before the Conquestand represent sacred beings and animals that protect the corn crop,fertility and harmony with the earth and, finally, the Mayan vision of the cosmos.

Male leaders wear "guayaberas," which were created in the Caribbean and arrived in Mexico during the Colonial era. The shirt-style white color jacket was made by the Escultura shirt-making factory, founded in 1955.

APEC, set up in 1989, now groups Australia, Brunei, Canada, Chile, China, Chinese Hong Kong, Indonesia, Japan, South Korea, Malaysia, Mexico, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, Peru, Philippines,Russia, Singapore, Chinese Taipei, Thailand, the United States andVietnam.

The first Economic Leaders' Meeting of the forum took place in Seattle, the United States, in 1993 and later it rotated in different member economies. The ninth meeting was convened in Shanghai, China.

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