Special Report: Hu Jintao visits 4 Asian nations, attends APEC Meeting   

    HANOI, Nov. 18 (Xinhua) -- Leaders of the 21 member economies of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) began their annual meeting in Hanoi on Saturday to facilitate free trade and promote sustainable development in the region.

    The closed-door meeting opened Saturday afternoon at Hanoi's National Convention Center after a welcome ceremony for the leaders by Vietnamese President Nguyen Minh Triet at the entrance of the center.

    The leaders were sitting in a round-table manner in the meeting room, according to a video tape footage shown to the press at the international media center.

    During the two hour-long informal retreat, the leaders discussed issues relating to the World Trade Organization (WTO) and the Doha Development Agenda (DDA), and issues on Regional Trade Agreements and Free Trade Areas, said a press release issued after the meeting.

    They also discussed and endorsed the Hanoi Action Plan to implement the Busan Roadmap for realizing the Bogor Goals of free and open trade and investment in the region, and issued a statement on the Doha round of WTO negotiations.

    "We reaffirm our collective and individual commitments to concluding an ambitious and balanced WTO Doha agreement," the leaders said in the statement. "We are ready to break the current deadlock: each of us is committed to moving beyond our current positions in key areas of the (Doha) Round."

    The endorsed Hanoi Action Plan will help translate the Busan Roadmap into reality by elaborating concrete actions for APEC member economies to take in five areas including the promotion of high-quality regional trade arrangements and free trade agreements.

    Immediately after the retreat, the leaders had a one-hour dialogue with the APEC Business Advisory Council.

    Speaking at the beginning of the dialogue, Triet described the leaders' discussions as "profound" and "rich."

    Later on Saturday evening, the leaders and spouses will attend a formal dinner and cultural performance in the National Convention Center, hosted by Vietnamese president and his spouse.

    A trip to the Temple of Literature, a site of interest in Hanoi,was arranged for the spouses in the morning.

    The annual meeting of Pacific-Rim leaders is a forum of the highest level in the Asia-Pacific region, drawing the presence of such prominent figures as Chinese President Hu Jintao, U.S. President George W. Bush, Russian President Vladimir Putin and Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe.

    The leaders will meet again on Sunday for the second retreat in the morning, where they will discuss matters concerning human security, economic and technical cooperation, APEC reform and other issues.

    A Hanoi Declaration is expected to be issued after they wrap up the two day's meeting on Sunday.

    Founded in 1989, APEC is a major regional forum acting as the primary regional vehicle for promoting open trade and practical economic and technical cooperation in the Asia-Pacific region.

    It represents the most economically dynamic region in the world,with its 21 member economies accounting for more than one third of the world's population, approximately 60 percent of world GDP, about 47 percent of world trade.