BERLIN, Nov. 17, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Hernan Garces, a grandson of a Chilean cherry planter, is delighted that his family's business has become a major exporter of cherries to China as a result of its efforts to grow cherries in the country. His success was attributed to the stable business environment in China, according to Garces, manager of one of the biggest cherry exporters in the country.
"The business environment in China is very friendly and there are endless opportunities in the country," said Garces, who recently moved his family to Shanghai so that he could manage his business more effectively.
In the past few decades, the cherry tree, which spans both the northern and southern hemispheres, has witnessed the continuous interdependence and deep integration between Chinese economics and the economies of the Asia-Pacific region.
Openness and the development of a common vision
In his speech delivered on Thursday at the APEC CEO Summit in San Francisco, Chinese President Xi Jinping pointed out that since the first Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Economic Leaders' Meeting in 1993, the region has grown in economic cooperation and integration and has experienced significant economic growth.
As a result of our commitment to open regionalism, opening up and inclusiveness over the past three decades, we have learned from each other's strengths, exchanged needs, focused on development, and developed 'the APEC Approach' jointly in accordance with the principles of voluntarism, consensus building and incremental progress, capitalizing on the spirit of partnership characterized by harmony without uniformity, solidarity and mutual assistance."
As the Chinese President pointed out, on the remarkable journey of Asia-Pacific cooperation, openness, inclusiveness, and development for all have outshone all others.
As Xi stated, "over the past three decades, the Asia-Pacific region has reduced its tariff rate from 17 percent to 5 percent, and contributed to 70 percent of global economic growth," he noted that during this time period, "per capita income in the Asia-Pacific region has more than quadrupled, and one billion people have been lifted out of poverty."
In spite of the fact that regional cooperation is characterized by a diversity of histories, cultures, and stages of development, Xi stressed that seeking common ground while barring differences is the best way to increase regional cooperation.
Contributing to the facilitation of regional cooperation
The Chinese president said the world has entered a new period of turbulence and change, and the absence of cooperation is the biggest risk, and that decoupling and disruption of supply chains is not in the interest of anyone.
A further point that he made was that APEC economies should "steadfastly advance the creation of a Free Trade Area of the Asia-Pacific," according to him.
A fact speaks louder than a word. According to China's Ministry of Commerce (MOC), China has been contributing its strength to the construction of the Asia-Pacific economy in recent years by continuously deepening economic and trade cooperation with the other 20 Asian Pacific economies.
The data from the Ministry of Commerce shows that in 2022, the total import and export volume of China and APEC members was $3,739.08 billion, accounting for 59.7 percent of China's total import and export volume as a whole.
A study in the same year showed that eight of China's top 10 trading partners are APEC members, and China is the largest trading partner of 13 economies that are part of APEC.
According to Luo Rong, a researcher at the Chinese Academy of Macroeconomic Research, China's door to foreign investment is opening wider, its ability to utilize foreign investment is increasing, and its business environment continues to improve over time. As a result, regional economic growth will be infused with new vitality and impetus. 
In order to attract foreign investment, more measures need to be taken
The APEC has become the first economic and trade organization that China has been a member of since the reform and opening-up of 45 years ago.
Xi emphasized the importance of pursuing development with its doors open, and said that China would unstoppably advance high-standard opening up and expand market access at the new starting point. China has also announced the removal of all restrictive measures related to foreign investment in manufacturing and has announced the removal of all restrictions on foreign investment in manufacturing.
As part of his speech, the Chinese President also stated that, no matter what the international situation will be, China will continue to pursue its commitment to creating a world-class business environment that is market-oriented, law-based, and law-abiding, as well as maintaining a policy of providing equal and quality services to foreign investors.
The Chinese President has also said that the world's largest developing country will also take more measures, such as improving policies on the entry and stay of foreign nationals in China, removing obstacles in the field of financial and medical services, as well as improving e-payment systems and other areas.
In Beijing, for example, the process for obtaining a work permit and obtaining a work-type residence permit for foreigners has been simplified. At any of the 15 one-stop service counters throughout the city, all foreign talent working in Beijing can take advantage of the convenient one-stop application service for the two permits.
The intention of all this is to make it easier for foreign companies to invest and operate in China, said President Xi Jinping.
https://news.cgtn.com/news/2023-11-17/Xi-delivers-written-message-to-APEC-CEO-Summit-1oN7z9BWpoI/index.html
CGTN is the source of this information
At the Filoli Estate, San Francisco, Chinese President Xi Jinping and his U.S. counterpart Joe Biden had a candid and in-depth exchange of views on various issues at the Filoli Estate, ...
There was a candid and in-depth exchange of views between Chinese President Xi Jinping and his U.S. counterpart Joe Biden at the Filoli Estate in San Francisco on the 23rd of March...
Get PRN's top stories and curated news delivered to your inbox every week by signing up for our newsletter!

Source prnewswire