From: jerryaspar@gmail.com   
      
        
   WORLD-TYRANT WORLD 11 11 14 1    
      
      
      
      
      
      
      
   STATEMENT ON THE 25TH ANNIVERSARY OF APEC    
      
   Shaping the Future through Asia-Pacific Partnership    
      
   Beijing, China    
      
   11 November, 2014    
      
      
      
   We, the Leaders of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC), having met by   
   Yanqi Lake, Beijing, China for the 22nd APEC Economic Leaders' Meeting,   
   jointly issue this statement today to commemorate the 25th anniversary of   
   APEC.    
      
      
      
   We recall the establishment of APEC in 1989, which opened up a new historic   
   chapter for economic cooperation in the Asia-Pacific. Over the course of the   
   past 25 years, in pursuit of economic growth, better wellbeing of people, and   
   common prosperity of    
   the region, APEC has propelled progress through "two wheels" - trade and   
   investment liberalization and facilitation and economic and technical   
   cooperation. Having contributed to global efforts in meeting the grave   
   challenges of the Asian Financial Crisis    
   and the International Financial Crisis, APEC member economies have been the   
   main engine of global growth.    
      
      
      
   We are pleased to note that APEC has become the premier, and most extensive   
   and influential regional economic cooperation forum in the Asia-Pacific,   
   unified in a common drive to build a dynamic and prosperous Asia-Pacific   
   community.    
      
      
      
   Progress and Achievements    
      
      
      
   We acknowledge the historical achievements and the remarkable results APEC has   
   delivered since its establishment in 1989. In the course of the past 25 years,   
   the average applied tariffs of APEC economies have fallen by more than 10   
   percentage points,    
   contributing to a seven-fold increase in both intra-APEC merchandise trade and   
   APEC's total trade, as well as higher economic growth compared to the rest of   
   the world.    
      
      
      
   We recognize with appreciation that many successful experiences can be drawn   
   from the 25 years of APEC:    
      
      
      
   APEC has upheld the spirit of equality, mutual benefit, mutual respect,   
   openness, inclusiveness, flexibility, pragmatism, and win-win cooperation; and   
   followed the principles of cooperation, voluntarism, and consensus building.    
      
      
      
   APEC has established the Bogor Goals, putting forward two timelines calling   
   for the realization of free and open trade and investment by 2010 for   
   industrialized economies and by 2020 for developing economies.    
      
      
      
   APEC recognizes the importance of trade as a key to job creation, economic   
   growth and sustainable development, and reiterates the value, centrality and   
   primacy of the multilateral trading system as embodied in the WTO.   
   Historically, APEC has been    
   consistently supporting the rules-based multilateral trading system, and   
   played a leading role in facilitating the conclusion of the Uruguay Round in   
   1994, launching the Doha Development Agenda (DDA) in 2001, and achieving a   
   successful conclusion of the    
   Information Technology Agreement (ITA) in 1996, launching the Information   
   Technology Agreement (ITA) Expansion negotiations in 2012 and Environmental   
   Goods Agreement (EGA) negotiations in 2014, as well as achieving Bali Package   
   in 2013. In support of "   
   free and open trade and investment", APEC economies committed to refraining   
   from raising new trade and investment barriers and combating protectionism in   
   all its forms.    
      
      
      
   APEC has been a pioneer, pacesetter and pathfinder in regional and global   
   economic cooperation, advancing the process towards the eventual realization   
   of the Free Trade Area of the Asia-Pacific (FTAAP), promoting trade   
   facilitation, including expedited    
   business travel through the APEC Business Travel Card, supporting the   
   development of Global Value Chains (GVCs), launching the APEC Growth Strategy,   
   promoting trade in environmental goods and services, improving supply chain   
   performance, promoting    
   connectivity, strengthening the implementation of good regulatory practices,   
   and addressing the next generation trade and investment issues.    
      
      
      
   APEC has carried out practical cooperation in a wide range of areas, including   
   structural reform; standards and conformance; women and the economy; health,   
   education and labor; climate change; food security and food safety; energy   
   security and    
   sustainable energy development; green economy; blue economy; small and medium   
   enterprises; information and communications technology; transport;   
   infrastructure development and investment; forestry; mining; cou   
   ter-terrorism; emergency preparedness; and,    
   anti-corruption.    
      
      
      
   APEC has established a mechanism through the APEC Business Advisory Council to   
   receive valuable inputs from the business sector in its policy deliberations.   
   APEC fully appreciates the active role played by business communities in   
   advancing the APEC    
   agenda.  APEC industry dialogues and partnerships in a range of business   
   sectors play a unique role in enhancing the economic cooperation and   
   integration among the member economies. We reaffirm the significant value that   
   public-private activities have    
   contributed to APEC work.    
      
      
      
   New Opportunities and Challenges    
      
      
      
   We recognize that today, 25 years on, APEC and the Asia-Pacific economies are   
   at a new historical starting point, and are facing unprecedented opportunities   
   and challenges.    
      
      
      
   We are pleased to note that the overall development of the Asia-Pacific region   
   has been sound and steady. With multiple efforts to reform and promote   
   innovative development, the Asia-Pacific region is consolidating its leading   
   role as an engine of global    
   economic growth. We are full of confidence in the bright future of the   
   Asia-Pacific region.    
      
      
      
   At the same time, we are facing grave challenges in various aspects. We also   
   realize that in a world of burgeoning global and regional economic cooperation   
   institutions, APEC must constantly pursue new and innovative ways to achieve   
   its objectives and    
   continue to keep up with the global economic trends to play its leading and   
   coordinating role. APEC is expected to consolidate and advance regional   
   economic integration, support the multilateral trading system, resist   
   protectionism in all its forms, and    
   guard against the risks of fragmentation.    
      
      
      
   It is therefore imperative for member economies to find new areas and driving   
   forces for growth in the post-crisis era. To this end, APEC economies are   
   committed to redoubling efforts to achieve breakthroughs on bottlenecks and   
   work to ensure that    
   enhanced connectivity and infrastructure development will meet the growing   
   needs of the member economies.    
      
      
      
   Shaping the Future through Asia-Pacific Partnership    
      
      
      
      
   [continued in next message]   
      
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