Xi's attendance at APEC will promote regional economic integration: senior officials

BEIJING -- Chinese President Xi Jinping's scheduled attendance at the upcoming Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) economic leaders' meeting will boost regional economic integration, senior officials said on Thursday.

Xi will attend the APEC meeting with the theme "Quality growth and human development," in Lima Peru from Nov. 19 to 20, vice foreign minister Li Baodong told a press briefing.

Li said Xi's attendance at the Lima meeting shows the importance China has attached to regional cooperation.

"China has been an APEC contributor and supporter since it joined the mechanism 25 years ago and has played a significant role in building the Asian Pacific family," Li said.

During the meeting, Xi is expected to deliver a speech to the APEC CEO summit, meet representatives of the APEC business advisory council, attend two phases of the economic leaders' meeting and have meetings with some leaders.

China expects positive outcomes of the meeting, said Zhang Xiangchen, deputy China international trade representative, at the briefing.

He said the first should be completing collective strategic research on the Asian-Pacific free-trade zone on schedule.

China also hopes for implementation of the Beijing APEC meeting outcomes, Zhang said.

He added that China expects that the Lima meeting to support inclusive growth in the Asian Pacific region and new cooperation in service industries and small and medium-sized enterprises.