On November 28, 2017, the “2017 Asia-Pacific International Economic Cooperation Annual Meeting” hosted by the Beijing Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation Promotion Association was successfully held at the APEC International Convention and Exhibition Center in Yanqi Lake. In the keynote speech of the conference, former Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs of China, Ji Pei Mr. Ding brings the keynote speech “China is in an exciting and hopeful era”. The following is the full text of the speech –

I am much honored to be invited to attend the 2017 Asia-Pacific International Economic Cooperation Annual Conference. The theme of this year is "Promoting Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation and Helping the Development of the Belt and Road." In the past 20 years, since the beginning of this century, the international situation has undergone major changes, and the contrast of international forces has also changed. On the one hand, in the United States, the West and other countries, due to their strategic reasons, the overall strength is declining; In terms of emerging economies, the strength of developing countries is growing, strengthening, and new organizations, like the BRICS countries, have emerged in this century. In some emerging markets, the economic development of developing countries is increasing, and the world economy is the driving force and contribution of growth have surpassed that of developed countries. I think this change is inevitable. The emergence of these new mechanisms, such as the BRICS countries, such as the “Belt and Road” we now propose and various forums, should reflect changes in the international situation and changes in the international landscape.

We are in an exciting and promising era. We have become the world’s second largest economy by seizing the theme of peace and development and adhering to the development philosophy. Our country’s economic strength has been greatly enhanced. In the past five years, since the 18th National Congress, our domestic development has been further improved. In 2013, President Xi Jinping proposed the “Belt and Road Initiative” in Kazakhstan and Indonesia, followed by China’s original foundation. We have further proposed some of our programs and initiatives in the world. For example, in 2017, the Chairman of the Year of the Year attended the Davos Forum. In May, China hosted the “Belt and Road” international cooperation summit forum. This summer, President Xi also went to Hamburg, Germany to attend the G20 summit. Although the host country is Germany, China has become the focus of that meeting. In September, the BRICS Summit was held in Xiamen. Not long ago, President Xi Jinping’s Asia-Pacific Summit in Da Nang, Vietnam.

I think a major political event this year is that we held the 19th Congress of the Communist Party of China. At this conference, we proposed Xi Jinping’s new era of socialism with Chinese characteristics. I personally understand that our new era is that we stand on a higher level. At the starting point, we have a clearer, step-by-step blueprint. What should China look like in 2020, what it should be like in 2035, and what we should be like in 2050. I think the "Belt and Road" initiative, we must be linked to the "Chinese Dream" time, I After personal understanding of the 18th National Congress, we put forward the slogan of "Chinese Dream". From our domestic perspective, we constantly improve relevant rules and regulations, strengthen legal system construction, improve the industry, and get rid of poverty. The development of all aspects of our national strength is escalating.

On the other hand, I personally think that the “Belt and Road” cannot be understood mechanically, but shows that China, as the world's second economy, is willing to embrace the world and is willing to build and share with all world countries on the basis of equality and mutual benefit. Winning and sharing, I think the “Belt and Road” includes interoperability and capacity cooperation, as well as humanities exchanges. We have developed in China and I think the world should also develop. President Xi Jinping proposed that Qingshan Huirong is actually an important concept of China's foreign policy. In the future development, not only can China develop, but the world can also develop.

The moderator mentioned Africa, and I have been working in Africa for 45 years, starting in 1972. Last week, I also just went to Africa and attended a seminar. At this seminar, I deeply felt that African friends are very concerned about China’s development path. I am very concerned about China’s 19th National Congress. I am 19 When they visited Africa in the future, they felt what to do next in Africa. At that seminar, I proposed such an idea. China’s relationship with Africa, I personally think that there can be three stages:

In the first phase, the founding of the People's Republic of China and the end of the 1950s and early 1960s, the African national liberation movement was independent of the country until independence in Namibia in 1990. In 1994, South Africa achieved democracy and overthrew the racist regime.

In the second stage, China and Africa joined hands. We jointly established the China-Africa Cooperation Forum. On this basis, China’s relations with Africa have greatly improved. Today, China’s relationship with Africa has also entered a In the new era, I just talked about the 19th National Congress of the country and clearly illustrated the blueprint of our country. Africa also has African plans. In fact, these two aspects of the plan can create a lot of opportunities for cooperation. Our enterprises should follow the central “One Belt, One Road” initiative and make great strides to become a strong overseas company.

I personally have such a point of view to share with you. We should not overemphasize our own GDP or the GDP of a company. We should emphasize GNP and strengthen overseas China. We want to be in developing countries, Africa, and Asia. And others, on the basis of equality and mutual benefit to strengthen cooperation, to interconnect, to carry out capacity cooperation, cultural exchanges, not only beneficial to us, but also beneficial to them.

So this meeting, the Asia-Pacific International Economic Cooperation Annual Meeting, I think it was held after the 19th National Congress and it was also held after the APEC Summit in Da Nang, Vietnam. Therefore, I sincerely hope that this meeting will be successful and I hope entrepreneurs. We will discuss together and make efforts to promote economic cooperation in the Asia-Pacific region. We will join hands to help the development of the “Belt and Road”. Thank you.