BEIJING - President Xi Jinping on Friday said the Asia-Pacific region should take the lead and help make economic globalization more open, inclusive, balanced and beneficial to all.

The free and open trade and investment cannot be achieved overnight, Xi said at the 27th Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Economic Leaders' Meeting in Beijing via video link.

It is important that the Asia-Pacific should remain the bellwether in safeguarding peace and stability, upholding multilateralism, and fostering an open world economy, Xi said, adding that "we must stay as determined as ever to support the multilateral trading system with the World Trade Organization at its core, promote free and open trade and investment, and make economic globalization more open, inclusive, balanced and beneficial to all."