MOSCOW, July 21. /TASS/. China and other nations have supported Russia’s bid to chair APEC in 2035, Ambassador-at-Large of the Russian Foreign Ministry Marat Berdyev said in an interview with TASS.

"Our bid to host the forum again has been met with enthusiasm and a warm welcome within APEC. China officially expressed its support in the joint statement by the leaders of Russia and the People’s Republic of China in May following Russian President Vladimir Putin’s visit to the country. At the recent meeting of APEC senior officials in Shanghai in May, the majority of the forum’s members, including economies with which our relations are currently limited, conveyed the same position to me," he said.

Russia previously chaired the APEC forum in 2012, the diplomat noted. "Many years have passed since then, yet the memory of our chairmanship remains alive and evokes the most positive feelings," he added. "My colleagues at APEC keep coming back to those events. They recall the warm welcome they received in Russia and the professional manner in which the negotiations were organized. Particular praise is given to the meticulous preparation and the rich agenda and program of events. And, of course, there is constant talk of the hospitality, culture, and beauty of our land, from the Hermitage in St. Petersburg to the bay of Vladivostok," Berdyev emphasized.

Moscow "demonstrated within APEC that it is a welcoming host, an efficient organizer, and a far-sighted strategist," he said. "During our chairmanship, the world’s first list of environmental goods for the purpose of reducing customs duties was agreed upon. We launched an APEC scientific and educational conference held regularly under the auspices of the Eastern Economic Forum, which will once again take place in Vladivostok on September 2 of this year," the ambassador added. Another compelling Russian initiative is the APEC BEST AWARD, an annual competition for women entrepreneurs designed to identify best practices and honor outstanding businesswomen, he noted.

"It is difficult to briefly summarize our contribution to APEC’s efforts. Russia has implemented over 80 projects through various government agencies and organizations. They span tourism, remote territories, energy, climate, space and digital technologies, and much more. Domestic business is not lagging behind either, having recently initiated work on independent settlements in national currencies," Berdyev concluded.