China hopes to see progress on such topics as climate change and clean development, integration of regional economy, multilateral trade and APEC reform at the impending APEC summit, said a senior official with Chinese Foreign Ministry.

The proposal was raised by Chinese assistant foreign minister Cui Tiankai at a press conference here Tuesday afternoon.

From Sept. 3 to 9, Chinese President Hu Jintao will pay a state visit to Australia and attend the summit meeting due to be held in Sydney on September 8-9.

"China will make concerted efforts with concerned parties to achieve the objectives", Cui said.

According to Cui, discussion on the climate change would top the summit agenda and the host will arrange a discussion on a possible Sydney Declaration on the climate change issue.

"We support discussion and final adoption of such a declaration", Cui said, stressing that the adoption of the declaration would demonstrate the determination and positive attitude of the APEC members to address the challenge and raise public awareness in an aim to boost the regional and international cooperation on the issue.

"As an economic cooperation forum, the APEC should play a larger role to tackle the challenge posed by the climate change", Cui added.

The declaration should also send a clear political message, reiterate the principles in the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change and the Kyoto Protocol, support the international negotiation process and promote the pragmatic cooperation on the issue, Cui said.

Cui also said in a reply to a reporter's question that China was considering to propose to establish a forestry recovery and sustainable development network in the Asia-Pacific region.

"Forestry could be a lot of help to tackle the challenge of climate change", Cui told reporters, saying that China is willing to share its experience on the forestry recovery and sustainable management.

APEC is the premier forum for facilitating economic growth, cooperation, trade and investment in the Asia-Pacific region.

Since APEC's birth in 1989, it has grown to encompass 21 members spanning four continents, and represents about 40 percent of the world's population, 56 percent of global GDP and 48 percent of world trade.

APEC members include Australia, Brunei, Canada, Chile, China, China's Hong Kong, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, Mexico, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, Peru, the Philippines, Russia, Singapore, South Korea, Chinese Taipei, Thailand, the United States and Vietnam.

Leaders of 21 APEC member economies last convened in Hanoi, capital of Vietnam, in 2005. The two-day meeting yielded a Hanoi Declaration covering issues including advancing free trade and investment, enhancing human security, and building stronger societies and a more dynamic and harmonious community.

(Xinhua News Agency August 29, 2007)