Interview: Economic integration in Asia-Pacific should continue to be enhanced, Japanese researcher says

TOKYO, Nov. 14 (Xinhua) -- The Asia-Pacific economic integration should continue to be enhanced and the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) can play an important role in promoting global development, Japanese researcher Kiyoyuki Seguchi has said.

Seguchi, research director at Japan's Canon Institute for Global Studies, told Xinhua in a recent interview that the Asia-Pacific, as an important engine driving world economic growth, will continue to lead the world economic development.

"In the long term, Asia will continue to provide a strong impetus for world economic growth, and the center of Asia's economic growth is in China," Seguchi noted.

According to a report by the Asian Development Bank, economic recovery in the Asia-Pacific region has largely benefited from China, which contributed more than 60 percent of the region's growth.

Seguchi pointed out that the China-proposed Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) connects Asia, Africa, Europe, Latin America and other regions to seek common development, and is an initiative that benefits the world.

It is a good thing for China to go beyond Asia and play a role in the world, Seguchi said, adding that it is very important for China to strengthen its relations with Africa, Latin America, the Middle East and other regions to promote the development of developing countries.

Seguchi believes that opening up to the outside world is an important cornerstone of China's economic development, and the Chinese government's commitment to deepening reform and opening up is of great significance to China and the world at large.

Seguchi said that the development of Asia requires the concerted efforts of all parties, and hopes that APEC will become a platform that promotes close cooperation and smooth exchanges among various economies.

To strengthen APEC's role, it is necessary to make effective use of the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership while deepening cooperation between China and countries in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, Seguchi said.

Seguchi noted that China is actively advancing the process of joining the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership, and he looks forward to China and Japan working with other Asian economies to continue to promote world free trade and investment.

APEC is the highest-level and most influential economic cooperation mechanism with the broadest range in the Asia Pacific region. The 30th APEC Economic Leaders' Meeting is scheduled to be held in the U.S. western coastal city of San Francisco on Nov. 15-17.