President touches down in Manila for two-day gathering on regional integration

President Xi Jinping arrived in Manila on Tuesday to attend the APEC Economic Leaders' Meeting, with the agenda expected to focus on regional economic integration and to stay away from the South China Sea issue.

Leaders of the 21-member Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation group also plan to condemn the Paris attacks, according to a draft of their declaration seen Tuesday by The Associated Press.

During the APEC Economic Leaders' Meeting, scheduled for Wednesday and Thursday, Xi will elaborate on China's policies and philosophy regarding Asia-Pacific cooperation, Vice-Minister of Foreign Affairs Li Baodong said last week.

The president will also discuss China's comprehensive reforms as well as the latest developments in the country's Belt and Road Initiative.

Liu Chenyang, deputy director of the APEC Research Center of Tianjin-based Nankai University, said the Manila meeting, themed "Building Inclusive Economies, Building a Better World", is likely to focus on implementing the consensus reached at last year's APEC meeting in Beijing.

Vice-Commerce Minister Wang Shouwen said the Free Trade Area of the Asia-Pacific has become a new objective for APEC regional integration, adding that China is willing to work with relevant parties to complete a collective strategic study of the FTAAP by the end of next year.

Wang also said that leaders at the APEC meeting are expected to issue a statement on supporting a multilateral trade system.

Before the confirmation of Xi's attendance by the Foreign Ministry on Nov 9, observers had speculated on whether the president would travel to Manila because of territorial issues with the Philippines over the South China Sea.

The Philippine leadership would extend its warmest welcome to Xi at the meeting and considered his visit the most important support for the host, Foreign Minister Wang Yi said after meeting with Philippines President Benigno Aquino on Nov 10.

Richard Heydarian, a professor of political science at De La Salle University in Manila, said he expects Xi to promote China-led economic initiatives such as the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank.

Contact the writers through [email protected]