Unity the only way to overcome challenges of today: China Daily editorial

The written speech President Xi Jinping delivered to those attending the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation CEO Summit in San Francisco on Thursday should have left none in any doubt that China remains committed to pursuing development with its doors open.

The top Chinese leader made it unequivocally clear that the Chinese economy, which he said was "blessed" with strong resilience, enormous potential and ample room for maneuver, continues to have great promise and capability for long-term growth that can provide the world with growth momentum and opportunities.

Stressing that the country is committed to providing better institutional safeguards to enable business entities of all types to share the gains of its development and that it is striving to align itself with high-standard economic and trade rules, he extended a warm invitation to business communities across the world to invest and deepen their footprint in China.

As some developed countries blindly choose to resort to protectionism, President Xi's speech, along with his highly productive and intensive diplomacy with other leaders on the sidelines of the APEC Leaders' Week in San Francisco, should serve to dispel some foreign business people's concerns that the world's second-largest economy is intent on turning inwards.

APEC was established 30 years ago when regional economies, and the world, were asking where things were heading in the post-Cold War era. Posing the question where the region and the world will be heading over the next 30 years, Xi underscored the importance of adhering to "the APEC Approach", saying the mechanism had been a "pacesetter for international cooperation" by rejecting beggar-thy-neighbor policies or erecting high fences around a small yard.

Noting that three decades ago the region had chosen to rise above the mentality of zero-sum games, he urged it to remain true to its principles of being open and inclusive. He underscored that China was willing to work with all in the Asia-Pacific to advance and implement the four initiatives that he had proposed — the Belt and Road Initiative, and the global development, security and civilization initiatives — which are aimed at promoting common development and improving the well-being of all people.

An important lesson that China has drawn from its own development amid the changing international situation over those years is that problems appearing in the process of development can be overcome by galvanizing all stakeholders to address the challenges. This is a lesson that the region and the world can draw on to pass the tests they face today.

In its integration into the world system, China has further consolidated its belief, on which it acts accordingly, that divergences between countries, be they in the economy, trade or diplomacy, should be and can only be resolved through cooperation and dialogue, instead of confrontation and rivalry. That's why it always seeks to create more development opportunities and benefits for other countries.

The success of the APEC Leaders' Week in San Francisco fully proves that most consider that to be a welcome and shared endeavor.