The 32nd APEC Economic Leaders' Meeting took place against the backdrop of profound global change. Unilateralism and protectionism are on the rise, tariff wars and trade confrontations are spilling over, and instability and uncertainty are increasing in the Asia-Pacific. Certain geopolitical moves aimed at provoking bloc confrontation are also casting shadows over the region. At such a moment, the world is looking to hear China's voice.

This week, Chinese President Xi Jinping delivered two speeches at the first and second sessions of the Leaders' Meeting and submitted a written speech to the APEC CEO Summit, calling on Asia-Pacific economies to jointly forge a sustainable and brighter future.

Observers say that as China prepares to take over the baton as the next host of the APEC Economic Leaders' Meeting, Xi's messages – centered on "openness" and "cooperation" – are of great significance in steering the Asia-Pacific and the wider world back towards development cooperation and risk reduction.

John Milligan-Whyte, executive chairman of the America-China Partnership Foundation, told China Media Group (CMG) that China is focusing on the shared interests of the people in the Asia-Pacific and sending a strong signal of openness and cooperation. He expressed hope that, in the coming year, China will inject even greater vitality into the region's development through a high level of opening-up.

The Asia-Pacific is home to one-third of the world's population, over 60 percent of the global economy, and nearly half of world trade – it is the most vibrant driver of global growth. With protectionism mounting headwinds, how can Asia-Pacific economies stay focused, overcome interference, and open new horizons of cooperation? From the perspective of forging an Asia-Pacific community with a shared future and advancing economic globalization, Xi provided the answer.

At the first session of the Leaders' Meeting, the Chinese president put forward a five-point proposal – calling for holding hands rather than letting go, and extending industrial chains rather than cutting them – which injects confidence and direction into Asia-Pacific cooperation. At the second session, he made a three-point proposal that reflects the global trends of innovation and green transformation as well as the shared value of common development, which can help Asia-Pacific economies tap new drivers of mutually beneficial cooperation and build resilience for sustainable development.

Liu Chenyang, director of the APEC Study Center at Nankai University, told CMG that Xi's vision of an open Asia-Pacific economy that is inclusive and beneficial to all has strong practical relevance.

"It helps offset the severe challenges brought by unilateralism and protectionism, and highlights China's key leadership role in APEC and Asia-Pacific development," Liu said.

Carlos Aquino, director of the Center for Asian Studies at the National University of San Marcos in Peru, said that Xi's advocacy of genuine multilateralism and continuous trade and investment liberalization is of great significance to safeguarding regional peace and promoting common development.

China's high-quality development cannot be separated from the Asia-Pacific, and the Asia-Pacific's prosperity cannot be separated from China. In the first three quarters of this year, China's trade with other APEC economies grew by 2 percent year-on-year to 19.41 trillion yuan ($2.73 trillion), accounting for 57.8 percent of China's total foreign trade. From the new sea route launched at Peru's Chancay Port to Chinese new energy vehicle makers building manufacturing bases in Southeast Asia, stories of China and Asia-Pacific partners working together are unfolding every day.

Amid calls for "decoupling and severing supply chains," China is firmly strengthening the bond of Asia-Pacific cooperation. From the high-quality implementation of the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) to actively advancing the process of joining the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) and the Digital Economy Partnership Agreement (DEPA), and from formally signing the China-ASEAN FTA 3.0 upgrade protocol to jointly advancing the Belt and Road Initiative, China has become a mainstay in safeguarding free trade and regional economic integration.

Observers also noted that at this year's APEC meeting, Xi repeatedly stressed China's close ties with the world economy. Such emphasis demonstrated China's firm resolve to build an open world economy and sent clear policy signals. The Fourth Plenary Session of the 20th Communist Party of China Central Committee recently adopted recommendations for formulating the 15th Five-Year Plan, which emphasize promoting reform and high-quality development with a higher level of opening-up –bringing new opportunities to the Asia-Pacific and the world.

Now that the APEC hosting baton has been passed, global attention is turning to China. Xi's remarks pointed the way forward for the 33rd APEC Economic Leaders' Meeting and for building an Asia-Pacific community with a shared future. Next year's meeting in Shenzhen can be expected to further boost regional cooperation, promote shared development and prosperity, and witness how China's new progress in Chinese modernization continues to create fresh opportunities for the Asia-Pacific and the world.