HANOI, Nov. 17 (Xinhua) -- Chinese President Hu Jintao on Friday called on leaders of APEC business communities to give more priority to exploring business opportunities and expanding market share in developing countries.

    "You are business leaders in the Asia-Pacific. With rich experience in international business, you can and should play an active role in facilitating economic and technical cooperation and common development in our region," Hu said while addressing the CEO summit of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) forum in Hanoi.

    To narrow the development gap and promote common development requires active participation of the business community, as businesses play a major role in carrying out bilateral and multilateral economic cooperation and trade, Hu said.

    Hu, who is also general secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China, said harmony is a defining value of the Chinese civilization, and China calls for building a harmonious world of enduring peace and common prosperity.

    "China will work with other countries for harmonious coexistence in the political field, common development in the economic field, mutual enriching in the cultural field and mutual trust and coordination in the security field," he said.

    China firmly pursues the basic state policy of opening up for mutual benefit and win-win progress, he said.

    China will continue to advance regional economic cooperation and FTA negotiations, and provide assistance and support to other developing countries to the best of its ability, he said.

    The president pledged efforts to further deepen the reform of foreign-related economic sectors, accelerate the transformation of the pattern of trade growth and improve trade structure to ensure balanced growth of import and export.

    The Chinese president is in Hanoi on a state visit to Vietnam. During his stay here, Hu will also attend the 14th economic leaders' informal meeting of the APEC forum slated for Saturday and Sunday.