Chinese President Xi Jinping's call for openness, cooperation, and shared prosperity at the 32nd APEC Economic Leaders' Meeting in Gyeongju, Republic of Korea (ROK), on Friday has struck a positive chord across the Asia-Pacific region, particularly among economies committed to free trade and regional integration, according to an Australian scholar. In an interview with China Global Television Network (CGTN), James Laurenceson, director of the Australia-China Relations Institute at the University of Technology Sydney, said Xi's emphasis on multilateralism and open economic engagement aligns closely with the aspirations of many Asia-Pacific economies, including Australia. The Chinese president's remarks come at a time when global trade is facing growing headwinds, including rising protectionism and tariff barriers in some major economies. Laurenceson noted that the region's commitment to openness distinguishes Asia-Pacific economies from the protectionist trends emerging elsewhere. The scholar highlighted that the Asia-Pacific remains the world's most dynamic and fastest-growing economic bloc, with China playing a pivotal role alongside other emerging economies. He also noted that Xi's call to advance the digital and green transformation of trade reflects the evolving priorities of regional economies, particularly in fostering innovation-driven growth. Shotlist: Gyeongju, ROK - Recent: 1. APEC 2025 sign; Sydney, Australia - Oct 31, 2025 2. SOUNDBITE (English) James Laurenceson, director, Australia-China Relations Institute, University of Technology Sydney: "Well, look, the speech emphasized economic openness, multilateral institutions, and both of those things are topics on which Australia agrees. So just speaking as an Australian, I think it would have gone down quite well in Canberra. I often think when it comes to trade, Canberra and Beijing have more in common than Canberra and Washington. So look, I think it would have gone down well locally here for sure."; Gyeongju, ROK - Recent 3. Various of APEC 2025 sign, flags; Sydney, Australia - Oct 31, 2025 4. SOUNDBITE (English) James Laurenceson, director, Australia-China Relations Institute, University of Technology Sydney: "I think in the Asia-Pacific region, amongst the countries that are resident in the Asia-Pacific -- and by that I mean the countries in Northeast Asia, Southeast Asia, and Australia as well -- the mood here is very much for open trade. We've clearly seen quite a dramatic shift in the U.S., and I think there's some tentative moves towards more closed economies in Europe. But that's not the situation in the Asia-Pacific. So I think President Xi's speech, amongst the countries of the region, would have gone down well."; Gyeongju, ROK - Recent 5. Various of traffic; Sydney, Australia - Oct 31, 2025 6. SOUNDBITE (English) James Laurenceson, director, Australia-China Relations Institute, University of Technology Sydney (ending with shot 7): "This is obviously the dominant, the most vibrant region in the global economy, and China is at the heart of that, of course. But it's not just China. When I look at Southeast Asia, for example, Indonesia, in only a decade and a half's time is expected to be the world's fourth largest economy. So this is a major growth engine for the global economy. And the mood of the region is that we're more likely to achieve our desired outcomes -- that it's a prosperous and stable region -- if we trade more, not less."; Gyeongju, ROK - Recent 7. APEC 2025 venue; 8. Board reading "APEC Economic Leaders' Week"; Sydney, Australia - Oct 31, 2025 9. SOUNDBITE (English) James Laurenceson, director, Australia-China Relations Institute, University of Technology Sydney: "Well, look, I'm actually in the middle of completing a poll of Australian businesses very active in the Australia-China economic corridor, and one of their great wishes is that the two governments [of] Australia and China will work together more closely to promote digital trade. So I think that, again, is an area of trade that everyone recognizes is expanding. But at the moment, some of the regulations, some of the facilitation around that is a bit lagging. And so if governments can support businesses, I think businesses will be very keen to partner with the governments."; Gyeongju, ROK - Recent 10. Aerial shot of cityscape. [Restriction - No access Chinese mainland]