ISTANBUL

China’s Foreign Minister Wang Yi on Tuesday called for building a “universally beneficial and inclusive” Asia-Pacific region, according to an official statement.

He also urged accelerating digital, smart, and green transformations driven by “innovation,” which represent new growth drivers for Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) economies.

Wang was addressing the maiden meeting of APEC senior officials in southern Guangzhou city, the statement said.

China is the current chair of the 21-member APEC, and it will be the third time for the world's second-largest economy to host the annual summit since 2001.

“While economic globalization has fueled trade prosperity and economic growth, it has also brought about uneven development as a result of global resource allocation,” Wang stressed.

He noted that the APEC economies “should act on the principle of universal benefit and inclusiveness, explore paths to regional economic integration that is more balanced and sustainable, and push economic globalization forward along a healthy track.”

Stressing a “prosperous and stable Asia-Pacific,” Wang said the APEC nations should build an open and interconnected Asia-Pacific region.

“Our vast landmass and the expansive ocean offer limitless space for economic cooperation; openness is the lifeblood of APEC economies,” he said.

The APEC member economies roughly account for 40% of the world’s population, generating more than 60% of global GDP and nearly half of global trade.

Wang said the global economic activity was "gravitating toward the Asia-Pacific" region.

China is hosting the APEC as it launched its 15th Five-Year Plan, Wang said, adding: “China will further deepen reform comprehensively, continue expanding high-standard opening up, and deliver new opportunities for the Asia-Pacific and the wider world with the new achievements of Chinese modernization.”

China is expected to host the APEC annual summit later this year in November.