President Xi to consider Aquino's invitation on APEC meeting: spokesman

BEIJING - A Foreign Ministry spokesperson said on Tuesday that he believes President Xi Jinping will consider Philippine President Benigno S. Aquino III's invitation in response to a question about whether Xi will attend the APEC meeting next month in Manila.

Spokesman Lu Kang said at a routine press briefing that the Chinese side has received Aquino's invitation to the 23rd Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Economic Leaders' Meeting.

China hopes the upcoming APEC meeting will focus on economic affairs and achieve new results on regional economic cooperation, Lu said.

China values and supports APEC, including the upcoming meetings in Manila, said the spokesman, noting APEC is the highest-level and most influential economic forum in the Asia-Pacific region.

The 22nd APEC Economic Leaders' Meeting held in Beijing last year was successful and made a series of "historic achievements," according to Lu.