Backgrounder: Major topics of 2014 APEC summit

The 22nd Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Economic Leaders' Meeting will be held on Nov. 10-11.[Special coverage]

Themed "Shaping the Future Through Asia-Pacific Partnership," the 2014 APEC summit will focus on three major topics -- advancing regional economic integration, promoting innovative development, economic reform and growth, and strengthening comprehensive development in infrastructure and connectivity.

Such designs are in line with the trend of economic development in the Asia-Pacific and the wider world, and have met the common demand of all Asia-Pacific economies.

ADVANCING REGIONAL ECONOMIC INTEGRATION

APEC members are expected to launch the process of Free Trade Area of the Asia-Pacific (FTAAP) and take a new step forward in achieving regional economic integration.

The realization of FTAAP is a long-standing consensus and vision of APEC economic leaders. It can help consolidate the various bilateral and multilateral cooperation mechanisms in the region, and minimize the risks caused by overlapping and fragmented free trade arrangements.

Through coordination and cooperation among APEC members, an important consensus will be reached on the launch of the FTAAP process during the meeting in Beijing to send out a clear signal of enhancing regional integration and turning this long-standing vision into concrete actions.

PROMOTING INNOVATIVE DEVELOPMENT, ECONOMIC REFORM, GROWTH

APEC members will identify five pillar areas of cooperation and unleash new impetus for Asia-Pacific economic development. Shifting growth model, restructuring the economy, fostering steady growth and promoting reform are the common tasks of APEC members.

The APEC meeting in Beijing will feature in-depth discussions on the five pillars of economic reform, new economy, innovative growth, inclusive support and urbanization in order to deepen cooperation in such frontier areas as Internet economy, urbanization and blue economy.

The APEC Accord on Promoting Innovative Development, Economic Reform and Growth, which is expected to be formulated and adopted at the meeting, will have a far-reaching impact on Asia-Pacific's future.

STRENGTHENING COMPREHENSIVE DEVELOPMENT IN INFRASTRUCTURE, CONNECTIVITY

APEC members will focus their efforts on promoting interconnected development and draw up a new blueprint for establishing comprehensive connectivity in the Asia-Pacific.

With a view to benefiting members across the Pacific, APEC members will work for the formulation of the APEC Blueprint on Connectivity involving hardware, software and people-to-people exchanges in order to provide a strong backing for Asia-Pacific's long-term development.