国际英语新闻：APEC business leaders highlight sustainable growth

YOKOHAMA, Japan, Nov. 9 (Xinhua) -- Business leaders from APEC economies took sustainable development as their main topic for discussion Tuesday in a bid to make concerted efforts to cope with the volatile situation of the world economy brought about by the global financial crisis.

The business leaders exchanged views on the subject at the fourth APEC Business Advisory Council (ABAC) meeting, which included panel discussions of Liberalisation Working Group, Facilitation Working Group, Sustainable Development Working Group, Finance and Economics Working Group, and Capacity Building Action Plan Working Group.

Wang Lili, Chinese representative and vice president of Industrial and Commercial Bank of China (ICBC), said at the meeting that the theme for the ABAC this year is "Working towards Sustainable Growth for All."

Photo taken on Nov. 10, 2010 shows the venue of the first closed-door meeting of Ministerial Meeting of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) in Yokohama, Japan. The 2-day APEC Ministerial Meeting opened on Tuesday with the attendance of the 21 members' officials and delegates.

The theme focuses on the three subjects of balanced growth through the improvement of economic structures, promotion of regional economic integration and realization of environment-friendly economic growth.

It is inevitable to formulate a new strategy aimed at sustainable development as the modes of economic growth in the Asia-Pacific region have been faced with various challenges posed by the global financial crisis, said Wang, who has acted as deputy chief of the Finance and Economics Working Group for the fourth year.

Yang Yunsong, who, as a representative from China, has been present for the first time at APEC Leaders' Week meetings, told reporters that the Sustainable Development Working Group discussed such hot issues as the development of small and mid-sized enterprises and green energy.

With active participation of Chinese representatives, greater attention has been given to the summit of small and mid-sized enterprises in the framework of APEC since the global financial crisis, he said.

China's role in APEC has thus been further boosted, he added.