PlansTo Improve Social Safety Net In APEC Region

President Hu Announces Project To Improve Employment And Social Safety Nets In The APEC Region

Bejing, China, 16 September 2010 – China’s President Hu Jintao on Thursday called on APEC Ministers to develop better social safety nets as the region emerges from the global economic crisis.

President Hu made the comments when they convened at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing during the opening of the 5th APEC Human Resources Development Ministerial Meeting.

During the session, President Hu announced the launch of a project, which will strive to enhance economic and technical cooperation among APEC economies.

“Practical and win-win cooperation is essential if we, APEC member economies, are to achieve common development. We should beef up economic and technical cooperation, advance regional trade and investment liberalization, and narrow the development gap among member economies to promote common prosperity.”

“We should work more closely in employment, social security and other fields by promoting policy dialogue and experience sharing,” he continued. “We should broaden our cooperation in human resources development, build platforms for technical cooperation, and raise our cooperation level with the focus on helping developing members in human resources development.

“To this end, China has decided to launch, together with other APEC member economies, the APEC Skills Development Promotion Project.”

President Hu also discussed the importance of developing human resources in the APEC region, promoting employment and ensuring sustainable economic growth.

“To realize inclusive growth, to resolve the social issues emerging from economic development and to lay a solid social foundation for trade promotion, investment facilitation and long-term economic development are all major topics that we, the APEC member economies, need to work on together.”

“The ultimate purpose of inclusive growth is to spread the benefits of economic globalization and economic development among all economies, regions and people and to realize balanced economic and social progress through sustainable development,” said President Hu. “Our goal is greater productivity and prosperity and a better environment.

“Cooperation in the Asia-Pacific region faces unprecedented opportunities of development. We, APEC members, should work together and make the best use of this APEC cooperation platform to deepen and broaden our cooperation. Hand in hand, let’s move toward the objective of enduring peace and common prosperity for the benefit of people in the Asia-Pacific and the world at large,” said President Hu when he concluded his remarks.

An APEC Growth Strategy is being formulated to shape the region's growth following the financial and economic crisis. It will be submitted to APEC Economic Leaders in November when they meet in Yokohama for their consideration.

ENDS

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