Wang Guangya, vice foreign minister of China and chair of APEC Senior Officials' Meeting (SOM), said at a press conference Monday evening that the September 11 terrorist attacks in the United States has aroused worldwide attention.

The statement under discussion by APEC members is expected to express strong condemnation of the terrorist event, and call for all APEC members to strengthen international cooperation in fighting terrorism, according to Wang.

Noting that the United Nations has passed a resolution on fighting terrorism, Wang said that it is natural for the APEC economic leaders to discuss topics regarding anti-terrorism during their meeting in Shanghai, as the meeting is a very important international meeting after the terrorist attacks in the United States.

However, Wang stressed, the anti-terrorism discussion would not change the nature of APEC meeting as an economic forum, and the discussion is aimed at enhancing economic cooperation between APEC member economies and realizing common prosperity.

Senior officials from 21 APEC member economies gathered at the SOM here Monday. The meeting made final preparations for the upcoming APEC Ministerial Meeting and APEC Economic Leaders' Meeting.

(Xinhua News Agency 10/15/2001)