歷史使命

　　我很高興來到了美麗的楓葉之國。首先，我要對克雷蒂安總理和加拿大政府的周到安排表示衷心的感謝。

　　It is a great pleasure for me to come to thispicturesque land of maples. First of all, please allowme to extend my heartfelt thanks to you, PrimeMinister Chretien, and the Canadian Government foryour considerate arrangements.

　　人類即將進入二十一世紀，總結過去，面向未來，我們需要確立順應時代潮流的合作觀念和合作方式。

　　As mankind is approaching the 21st century, it is necessary for us to develop a concept as wellas a modality for cooperation that are in conformity with the trend of the times bysummarizing the past experience and looking into the future.

　　亞太經(jīng)合組織是本地區(qū)最有影響力的經(jīng)濟論壇，也是世界上最具活力的經(jīng)濟合作組織之一。它的運行方式具有自己的基本觀點，這就是：充分尊重各成員的多樣性;承認成員之間發(fā)展水平和發(fā)展階段上的差異及其帶來的不同利益與需求;強調靈活性、漸進性和開放性;遵循平等互利、協(xié)商一致、求同存異、自主自愿的原則;實行單邊行動與集體行動相結合。

　　APEC is the most influential economic forum in our region and one of the most dynamicorganizations for economic cooperation in the world. It has its own basic features in itsapproach, that is, giving full consideration to the diversity of its members andacknowledging their divergence at the level and stage of development as well as theconsequent differing interests and needs; laying emphasis on flexibility, step-by-stepprogress and openness; adhering to such principles as equality and mutual benefit, consensus, seeking common ground while putting aside differences as well as voluntarism; andcombining individual with collective actions.

　　實踐越來越證明，“亞太經(jīng)合組織方式”符合本地區(qū)的實際，有利于各成員的不同權益和要求得到較好的平衡，有助于發(fā)揮各個成員的能力，促進共同發(fā)展，堅持這種方式，使亞太經(jīng)合組織成員加強合作的重要保證。

　　Practice has proved all the more clearly that the APEC Approach, which responds to th e realityin the region, is conducive to achieving a balance of rights, interests and needs of variousmembers. It will also help its member economies to give full play to their capability forcommon development. Adherence to this approach affords an important guarantee forstrengthened cooperation among APEC members.