The APEC Economies China Studies Scholars Forum kicked off on Friday in Guangzhou, Guangdong province, providing academic and intellectual support for November's APEC meetings.
More than 100 experts and scholars from 16 APEC economies — China, Australia, Brunei, Chile, Indonesia, the Republic of Korea, Malaysia, Mexico, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, Peru, the Philippines, Russia, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam — gathered for in-depth discussions about China's development and the shared future of the Asia-Pacific.
Xing Feng, an academician of the Chinese Academy of Engineering and president of Ji'nan University in Guangzhou, said that the global economy remains sluggish as it carries intertwined geopolitical risks.
"As the highest-level, most extensive and influential regional economic cooperation mechanism in the Asia-Pacific, APEC boasts growing platform value and strategic significance," Xing said. "China has always been a staunch participant, builder and contributor to APEC and continues to advocate building an Asia-Pacific community with a shared future."
During its three-day run, the forum will focus on two core priorities: jointly tackling global development challenges and sharing regional development opportunities, Xing said.
