The third Senior Officials Meeting of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) 2014 opened in Beijing, China, on August 20.

Addressing the event, Chinese State Councilor Yang Jiechi said the meeting was the last before the APEC Summit is held in November.

Second APEC Senior Officials Meeting

He noted that APEC member economies agreed to launch the formation of an Asia-Pacific free trade area (FTA), outline a roadmap to realise the deal, and establish an FTA information sharing mechanism.

Participants at the event discussed ways to reach common perspective on boosting creative development, economic reform and growth.

They also talked measures to strengthen dialogues, experience sharing and cooperation in five key pillars, including economics reform and urbanisation.

According to Yang, the 21-member APEC, which accounts for 40 percent of the world's population, 57 percent of the global economy, and 46 percent of the global trade, has become a region boasting the most rapid economic growth and highest potential in the world, becoming a driving force for the global economic recovery.

China is willing to work together with APEC members in building a leading Asia-Pacific partnership in future, he said.

(Source: VNA)