APEC beneficial to both Australia, China

In these turbulent times, Asia-Pacific leaders have a golden opportunity to re-invest in those things that have delivered success for the Asia-Pacific region's economy and avoid what would put it all at risk, when they meet in Lima, Peru, for the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation meeting this week.

APEC accounts for 60 percent of the world's economy and is home to 3 billion people. It's a forum in which Australia and China have many common interests, including sustaining free trade and the rules enabling our small, medium-sized and large businesses to access markets and create jobs, in the face of growing protectionism in many economies.

For Australia and China, APEC provides another opportunity for Chinese and Australian leaders to meet and to strengthen the bilateral economic relationship, as well as to explore new areas of cooperation in fields such as the emerging green economy.