Chinese President Hu Jintao pledged Sunday in Santiago to support the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) to strengthen counter-terrorism cooperation and create peaceful and stable regional environment.

Hu made the pledge when speaking at Retreat II of the 12th APEC Economic Leaders' Meeting in the Chilean capital. He expounded China's stance on Asia-Pacific regional cooperation and APEC's future development in his speech.

The two-day APEC Economic Leaders' Meeting kicked off Saturday amid tight security under the theme of "One Community, Our Future".

The Chinese president arrived at Chile's presidential palace at 09:20 a.m. (local time) and was greeted by Chilean President Ricardo Lagos.

The APEC economic leaders later stood in front of a fountain, wearing traditional Chilean "Chamantos" , posing for a group photograph.

The "chamanto" is a decorative, reversible -a light and a dark side - poncho woven in silk thread and wool, its entire contour finished with ribbon edging.

The APEC economic leaders issued Santiago Declaration after the conclusion of the two-day meeting on Sunday afternoon.

Counter-Terrorism Cooperation

"Terrorism is our common enemy," Hu said. The international community have exerted positive efforts and strengthened cooperation in eliminating the threats posed by terrorism.

China opposes all forms of terrorism and supports APEC in giving greater play in its advantages, continuing to focus on economic and trade cooperation while stepping up practical cooperation with capacity-building as the first step, striving to create a stable and secure environment for the economic

development and trade investment of the Asian-Pacific region, the Chinese president said.

"I welcome the APEC cooperation to crack down on corruption. It is hoped that all members will follow the principles of equality, mutual benefit, respecting differences and emphasizing practical results and strive for substantive progress in anti-corruption cooperation in the areas of capacity-building, prosecuting offenders and tracing and recovering the proceeds of corruption," Hu noted.

China to Set Up Asian-Pacific Finance and Development Center

China will set up an Asia-Pacific Finance and Development Center, providing a platform for Asia-Pacific economies to step up exchanges and capacity-building, Hu said.

He urged the APEC member economies to deepen their mutually-beneficial cooperation in the promotion of an Asia-Pacific Community.

The Chinese president said Chile, the host, chose this year's theme of APEC Economic Leaders' Meeting as "One Community, Our Future", thus well reflected the wishes of the APEC members.

"Common interests and common future require us to shoulder common responsibility and exert joint efforts." Hu said. "We should grasp the opportunities brought about by economic globalization and regional integration process, take full advantages of the APEC platform to learn from each other, push forward closer and mutually beneficial economic and trade cooperation, for the sake of laying a solid foundation for achieving sustainable common development."

Trade and Investment Liberalization and Facilitation (TILF) and Economic and Technical Cooperation are the two priorities of APEC. "We should lose no time in implementing 'Bogor Goals', which provides us with guidelines and measurement for TILF in the Asia-Pacific region," Hu noted.

Economic and technical cooperation centered around capacity-building should be further strengthened since it helps developing members to achieve long-term economic growth and sustainable development.

Conducting Policy Dialogue on Energy

The Chinese president proposed that the APEC step up efforts in the energy field, conduct policy dialogue and deepen cooperation among members in improving energy efficiency, developing alternative sources of energy and providing affordable energy products to the poor.

In his speech, the Chinese president also urged the APEC member economies to adopt effective measures to maintain the good momentum of global and regional economic growth.

The APEC members need to adopt proactive and effective macroeconomic policies and regulatory measures in light of their respective conditions, increase dialogue and coordination, deepen regional cooperation and make joint efforts to facilitate and maintain world economic growth, said the Chinese president.

"We should work hard, with sincerity and flexibility, to bring about substantive results of the new round of WTO negotiations at an early date, cut back on our differences and frictions, and create an equitable and win-win environment for trade and investment," Hu said.

As a developing country, China will strive to keep sustained, fast, coordinated and healthy development of economic growth, and contribute to the Asia-Pacific and world economy, the Chinese president pledged.

China's Stance on APEC's Future Development

The Chinese president said the APEC should stick to its general direction of economic cooperation.

This year marks APEC's 15th anniversary. And the APEC should follow its unique cooperation pattern by observing such principles as respect for differences, equality, mutual benefit, voluntary participation and consensus, he said.

"It should continue to take the road of gradual progress and lose no time in carrying out the relevant initiatives. It should keep pace with the times and actively adapt itself to the changing situation in the Asia-Pacific region," the Chinese president said.

At the same time, it should optimize the allocation of resources, improve efficiency and make cooperation more effective, he added.

China, as a member of the Asia-Pacific big family, is a steadfast force in maintaining world peace, promoting common development and pushing forward international cooperation, Hu said.

"China will stick to the path of peaceful development and is ready to seek common development and prosperity with other APEC members," Hu said. "We will contribute to peace and development of the Asia-Pacific region and the world at large through our own development."

With sustained development of China's economy, China will expand its contribution to both Asia-Pacific and global economic growth, Hu noted.

The Chinese president arrived here Thursday for a state visit to Chile and attending the 12th APEC Economic Leaders' Meeting.

The APEC was set up in 1989 in response to the growing interdependence among Asia-Pacific economies and to the need to advance Asia-Pacific economic dynamism and sense of community.

It now groups Australia, Brunei, Canada, Chile, China, Chinese Hong Kong, Indonesia, Japan, South Korea, Malaysia, Mexico,New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, Peru, the Philippines, Russia, Singapore, Chinese Taipei, Thailand, the United States and Vietnam.

The organization accounts for more than a third of the world's population with about 2.6 billion people, nearly 60 percent of the world GDP with about 19 trillion US dollars and about 47 percent of world trade. It also represents the most economically dynamic region in the world generating nearly 70 percent of global economic growth during the last 10 years. The 13th APEC Economic Leaders' Meeting will be held in Busan, South Korea on Nov. 18-19 , next year.

The 13th APEC Economic Leaders' Meeting will be held in Busan, South Korea on Nov. 18-19 , next year.