BEIJING – The U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry says APEC meetings made important progress with China and other APEC economies on promoting women’s economic empowerment and combating corruption.
Kerry also underscored the need to support educational opportunities across borders and advance the region’s commitment to clean energy.
Kerry made these remarks during a press conference held at China National Convention Center in Beijing on Saturday when he addressed the media on the outcomes of the current discussions by APEC (Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation) leaders currently underway in Beijing.
He said the newly launched economic dashboard will be used as a measure of progress across APEC economies on key issues for women’s economic empowerment, while it will also allow members the ability to measure education, leadership positions, opportunities for employment and all the different things that contribute to the ability to increase women’s empowerment in the global economy.
He added: “The APEC members have also launched the women’s entrepreneurship in APEC network that will link women entrepreneurs and business owners to each other as well as to supply chains all across the region.
“Frankly, that is good for business, it is good for workers and it is good for all of our economies and secondly, we deepened our partnership with APEC economies and combating corruption. The principles that we adopted are clear and are compelling, we are determined to prevent, detect and effectively prosecute foreign bribery.”
He said the group is providing guidance to their businesses on how they could help prevent and detect corruption and is enhancing law-enforcement cooperation. He said: “We are promoting the adoption of APEC business codes of ethics for small and medium enterprises and we believe that this cooperation is a major step forward.”
He noted corruption not only creates an unfair playing field or distorts economic relationships but also steals from all the people.
“We believe that the system can work for everybody, is transparent and accountable and ultimately that people at every level have the ability to have confidence that the system is working for everybody with the same set of rules,” said Kerry.
APEC has made progress in education and clean energy as well as launched a scholarship fund, which is an internship initiative to provide more educational opportunities for students in APEC economies.
According to Kerry, APEC members also committed to doubling the share of renewables in the region’s energy mix by the year 2030 and also reaffirmed their commitment to phase out inefficient fossil fuel subsidies.
“I can’t emphasize enough how critical enough it is for APEC to lead the way in reducing green house gas emissions. We at last have the opportunity to put ourselves on the path to a clean energy future and that is the path that is more essential than ever,” Kerry said.
He said because of the urgent threat of global climate change, the solution to climate change is a good energy policy.
He said: “The efforts compliment and reinforce one another. Curtailing corruption makes our marketplace more efficient and more fair, while cutting fossil fuel subsidies creates a cleaner environment, and a stronger economy enhances opportunities for women as well as affects and advances the cause of social justice and prosperity. These are all separate fronts but all of them actually support a single important goal, securing a credible and sustainable future for all of our countries.”
Kerry further briefed the conference that he had a number of very productive bilateral meetings on the sidelines of the APEC conference with foreign minister Wang Yi of China and other Pacific allies and partners including Australia, Indonesia, Japan and New Zealand. Both the Japanese and Chinese foreign ministers briefed him on the progress in their bilateral relations.
“We the United States very much welcome the reduction in tension between Asia’s two largest economies. I look forward to continuing the discussions and to deepening our partnerships with APEC economies when President Obama arrives on Monday for the APEC leaders’ meeting here in Beijing.”
Kerry also said the United States is very committed to working with its APEC partners in order to build a stable regional order, based on rules and norms that are reinforced by institutions.
Terry said APEC’s goal is to remove trade barriers to investment so that businesses in all APEC economies could grow and create jobs and compete with other companies and other countries on an equal basis.
Heads of government, ministers and senior officials from 21 APEC member states have been meeting in Beijing since last week to take forward a series of new measures to reinvigorate trade, productivity and sustainable development, intent on delivering the next generation of Asia-Pacific growth needed to boost prosperity across the region and to ensure the global economic recovery.
The 2014 APEC Economic Leaders’ Week hosted by China and chaired by President Xi Jinping started on Wednesday under the theme “Shaping the Future Through Asia-Pacific Partnership” and coincides with the 25th anniversary of APEC’s founding.