Xi's message on openness resonates across L. America

President Xi Jinping's call for an inclusive and open Asia-Pacific economy at the APEC Economic Leaders' Meeting has drawn praise from Latin American scholars, who say his message underscores China's enduring commitment to multilateralism and regional integration amid rising global uncertainty.

Patricio Giusto, executive director of the Sino-Argentine Observatory, said Xi's remarks reaffirm China's role as "a staunch defender of an open economy and multilateralism to address global problems and resolve disputes, opposing unilateral impositions and zero-sum mentality".

Xi's proposals — from upholding the multilateral trading system to advancing digital and green cooperation — reaffirm China's long-standing goal of deepening cooperation with neighboring countries in the Pacific Rim.

Giusto described China's development path as evidence of the benefits of openness and integration.

"The successful model of mutually beneficial relations heralded by China has lifted hundreds of millions of people out of poverty and transformed a developing economy into a global powerhouse of technological innovation," he said, adding that such progress "has been largely possible due to the defense of regional integration".

Latin America remains an important partner in that vision, he said.

"Economic success and the consolidation of peace in the Asia-Pacific region have been based not only on the vitality of national economies, but also on the collective commitment to integration and mutually beneficial relations. In that regard, Latin America continues to play a key role for China."

He highlighted the growing potential for cooperation in green industries, a theme Xi emphasized in his speech.

"This is a huge and 'green' opportunity for Latin American countries, given their impressive potential in renewable energy," Giusto said.

"Chinese companies are already working with local counterparts in green projects that are producing deep transformations of the economic ecosystem in the Pacific."

Gustavo Alejandro Girado, director of the postgraduate program on contemporary China studies at the National University of Lanus in Argentina, said Xi's speech offered clues about the possible courses of action to be followed not only by his own country in trying to bring together the very diverse interests among APEC members, but also to show China's role within the group.

Common well-being

"Despite the strong global instability, common well-being must remain at the center of the stage," Girado said.

Xi's emphasis on defending the multilateral trading system — particularly the World Trade Organization — shows that "China does not want to replace the existing order but rather to modify the way it functions, because the world has changed", he said.

Xi's proposals to maintain "open, cooperative and free frameworks "aim to ensure that global value chains remain resilient after the disruptions by the pandemic, he added.

"Global value chains are expected to once again become the axis of the global manufacturing system, promoting fair and free competition of capital and markets."

Girado also highlighted the significance of Xi's call for digital and green transformation.

"China stands out for being at the technological frontier in digitalization and in ensuring that trade does not harm the environment by promoting its greening," he said.

Xi's pledge to support less-developed countries reflects China's long-standing principle of mutual benefit, he said.

"The final remark, which alludes to China's drive for global trade that meets the needs of the less-developed countries — to which China has lifted taxes in order to accelerate their flow of sales and benefit their economies — is another clear example of the win-win policy that China has been promoting for years," Girado said.

"Now within the APEC framework and in a very complex world, this summarizes what China is in a position to offer so that inequalities do not deepen."

gaoyang@chinadailyusa.com