Xi's APEC vision helps Asia Pacific become fertile soil for more economic vibrancy

Business insiders say that Chinese President Xi Jinping's vision for the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) aims to strengthen the organization as a driving force for global stability and innovation.

Xi outlined his vision of the Asia Pacific dream at the APEC Leaders' Meeting in Beijing in 2014, which has inspired China to contribute to the region's growth.

The Asia-Pacific region has long been a center of global commerce, culture, and politics. 

"We are duty-bound to create and fulfill an Asia-Pacific dream for our people. This dream is about acting in the spirit of the Asia-Pacific community and out of the sense of a shared future, following the trend of peace, development and mutually beneficial cooperation, and jointly working for the prosperity and progress of the region," said Xi at the meeting. 

"It is about heading the global development and making a greater contribution to the well-being of mankind. It is about having more economic vibrancy, freer trade and better investment facilitation, better roads, and closer people-to-people exchanges. And it is about ensuring greater security and prosperity for our people," said the Chinese president. 

It is not just about China. The APEC region, which encompasses over 20 economies from East Asia, Southeast Asia, Oceania, and parts of the Americas, has seen remarkable economic growth over the past decade. 

According to the International Monetary Fund (IMF), the region is forecast to contribute roughly 60 percent to global growth in 2024. China and emerging economies such as Vietnam have driven much of this growth. 

According to the latest data from the Chinese Ministry of Commerce, in 2022, the total import and export volume between China and APEC members was more than 3.7 billion U.S. dollars, accounting for 59.7 percent of China's total import and export volume. Eight of China's top ten trading partners are APEC members. 

"The market is not only big, but it's also very tech-oriented, becoming almost the leader in the technology aspect as well. So, both from the size point of view and also technology development point of view, I think the Asia Pacific continues to be a very important market, and the whole world should be looking into this specific market in the future as well," said Takeo Keizo, managing director of the Sales and Marketing Division of Sumitomo Electric Industries in China. 

"I think the outlook for China, but also for the APEC region, is very bright. All the industries we're working in, we're working in ship-building, we're working in energy, food and water, they need to transform. The energy system has to transform to be clean energy. Marine has to de-carbonize and there's a big need for sustainable food production. And all of those needs are here in APEC, and we can contribute to those. So, we see a very bright future in this region," said Christian Thomsen, cluster president of Alfa Laval North East Asia. 

While challenges persist, the APEC region is well-positioned to continue its trajectory of economic prosperity and fulfill President Xi's vision of a thriving and interconnected Asia Pacific.

Xi's APEC vision helps Asia Pacific become fertile soil for more economic vibrancy

A new train route from Harbin to Mohe in northeast China's Heilongjiang Province is offering tourists a unique cultural experience as part of China's booming winter tourism services.

Harbin and Mohe are two prominent winter tourist destinations in China. Harbin is home to the world's largest snow theme park, Ice and Snow World, which features intricate ice and snow sculptures and landscapes spanning one million square meters. Mohe, China's northernmost city, offers unique experiences, including encounters with forest reindeer and sightings of the breathtaking Northern Lights.

This year, the train journey between Harbin and Mohe offers a unique and memorable experience for tourists, providing a thrilling lag to their winter adventure. The train departs Harbin every day at 18:20, winding its way through the snow-covered landscapes of northeast China. The 18-hour ride is a celebration of the region's rich culture, immersing passengers in the vibrant traditions and customs of the area.

Travelers can enjoy the live performances of Yangge, a song-and-dance duet popular in the Northeast of China, and are even invited to join in to fully enjoy the lively and warm atmosphere. The ornaments and cushions on the train with distinctive local style ooze the generous, warm-hearted, and humorous spirit of the region.

Tourists from across China are flocking to experience the unique cultural journey offered by the new train route. Liu Huixing, a tourist from Changsha, Hunan Province, expressed her enthusiasm for the trip.

"We are from Hunan's Changsha, and we will stay in Heilongjiang for seven days. The shows tonight were amazing, very joyful, we also participated, and loved it so much," she said.

"The activities offer tourists from southern China a special experience. In this way, they can enjoy northeast China's culture before they arrive at Mohe City. And our train is very popular," said Shi Lei, the conductor of the train.

The unique offerings of the train complements local attractions and have made the Harbin-to-Mohe route a key driver of Heilongjiang's winter tourism boom.

Over 87 million tourist trips were made to Harbin between November 2023 and February 2024, generating revenue of 125 billion yuan (about 17 billion U.S. dollars), the highest in its history up to last year.

China's central government has also set goals that by 2027, the total value of winter tourism should reach 1.2 trillion yuan (about 164 billion U.S. dollars), and by 2030, increase to 1.5 trillion yuan (about 206 billion U.S. dollars).

The Asian Winter Games to be held in Harbin in February 2025 will make winter tourism even more popular in China.

China's northeast region sees surge in winter tourism with new train route