Xi arrives in Bali island for APEC meeting

Chinese President Xi Jinping on Saturday afternoon arrived in the Indonesian resort island of Bali to attend the 21st informal economic leaders' meeting of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC).

It will be Xi's first attendance at the APEC meeting to be held from Oct. 7 to Oct. 8, since he assumed presidency in March. Xi arrived in Bali after wrapping up his state visits to Indonesia and Malaysia.

This year's APEC gathering, themed "Resilient Asia-Pacific, Engine of Global Growth," highlights such topics as achieving sustainable growth with equity, promoting inter-connectivity in the region, and attaining the Bogor Goals, a timeline for achieving free and open trade and investment in the Asia-Pacific.

The meeting comes against the backdrop of unevenness of global economic growth, potential uprise of trade and investment protectionism, the stalled Doha round trade negotiations, and strong efforts to boost economic integration in the Asia-Pacific region.

During his stay on Bali island, Xi will also meet with many other leaders and representatives attending the meeting.

As the highest-level meeting of the APEC, the informal economic leaders' meeting has been held annually since its first convention in Seattle, the United States in November 1993.