Beijing: China continues to play a key role in the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) as a reliable partner and a positive force for the region's stable development, according to a Kyrgyz international relations expert. Speaking to Xinhua ahead of the upcoming APEC informal leaders' meeting in South Korea, Igor Shestakov, director of the Oy Ordo Centre for Expert Initiatives, noted that the Asia-Pacific region currently faces challenges such as unilateralism and protectionism.

According to Namibia Press Agency, Shestakov emphasized that protectionism involves attempts by some countries to impose economic conditions on others, whereas China advocates for a multipolar world with no dictatorial approach. He highlighted China's vital participation in APEC as one of the world's leading economies, underscoring its role as a mutually beneficial trade and economic partner that contributes to the region's stable development.

In recent years, China has introduced several key concepts and initiatives, including building a community with a shared future for humanity, the Belt and Road Initiative, and four global initiatives: the Global Development Initiative, the Global Security Initiative, the Global Civilization Initiative, and the Global Governance Initiative. Shestakov remarked that these initiatives and China's vision of a multipolar world are central to ensuring stable global development free from upheavals.

The political analyst further noted that China's foreign policy is guided by mutual respect, fairness, and win-win cooperation, aiming for the stable, predictable development of its partner countries. Unlike certain countries, China does not attach political conditions to its cooperation, offering more opportunities for APEC in terms of investment and modernizing economic processes.