Bush gets APEC support

U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell welcomed the support.

By CNN's Alex Frew McMillan in Shanghai
and Andrew Demaria in Hong Kong

SHANGHAI, China (CNN) -- Ahead of a Friday morning meeting with China's leader, the U.S. President arrived in Shanghai to a ringing endorsement from Pacific Rim nations for the global fight against terrorism.

Though an APEC statement avoided any mention of the continuing U.S.-led strikes in Afghanistan, Chinese foreign minister Tang Jiaxuan said nation members agreed to combat terrorism in a "fight between justice and evil".

Tang's comments come ahead of a leaders' summit between U.S. President George W. Bush and Chinese counterpart Jiang Zemin during the 13th annual meeting of Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation delegates in Shanghai.

While economic and diplomatic ties will feature on the agenda, Bush will be aiming to elicit and reinforce support for the anti-terrorism campaign.

That support appeared further reinforced after Tang said that APEC ministers agreed that terrorism threatened international peace.

VIDEO CNN's Jaime FlorCruz reports on security measures in Shanghai as it hosts the APEC summit (October 18) Play video (QuickTime, Real or Windows Media) U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell attends the APEC conference (October 18) Play video (QuickTime, Real or Windows Media)   AUDIO CNN's Jaime FlorCruz reports on APEC's stance against terrorism (October 18) 1.2 Mb / 1 min 57 sec WAV sound   IN-DEPTH Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation    RESOURCES Key economic information on APEC members  • APEC preview  • War on terror reactions

"Anti-terrorism is a fight between justice and evil, civilization and savagery," Tang told reporters.

"It's not a confrontation between different nations, different cultures or different religions. We recommend dialogue between civilizations, coexistence and cooperation," he said.

Support welcomed

Tang said APEC members were completing a draft proposal on terrorism, but had reached accordance that terrorism "should be severely denounced and attacked", its financial networks disconnected, and national support for its activities halted.

Although predominantly Islamic countries like Indonesia and Malaysia expressed concern over a growing backlash in the Muslim world, U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell -- already in Shanghai to attend Thursday's proceedings -- welcomed the support.

In a speech before the APEC Business Coalition, Powell said it was important for the ministers to discuss terrorism and said the talks were "very productive".

"I found understanding amongst my colleagues. There was a hope that the military campaign would be ended swiftly and achieve success," Powell said.

"They [terrorists] are criminals, they are murderers and they have to be dealt with and brought to justice. There was a basic understanding of that context among the ministers."

"The ministers also understood that the military action was only part of a legal, political diplomatic campaign," he said.

Powell also hoped that the U.S.-China relationship, strained by Bush's proposed national missile defense program and the April collision of a U.S. Navy plane and a Chinese fighter jet, would be strengthened by the summit between Bush and Jiang.

Asked if there were any doubts expressed by the ministers over the anti-terror campaign, Powell answered; "I don't think there were doubts expressed."

Anti-U.S. backlash

Malaysia said it was concerned over the death of civilians in Afghanistan.

Indonesia and Malaysia have been careful not to endorse the strikes on Afghanistan but have given their support for the fight against terrorism.

"We condemn terrorism in any form [and want to] participate in the eradication of terrorism from the earth," Syed Hamid Albar, Malaysia's foreign affairs minister said.

"We are concerned that in the retaliation there has been a lot of civilian loss," she said.

Indonesia, where there have been almost daily anti-U.S. protests outside the U.S. Embassy in Jakarta, was warned earlier in the week by Australia not to soften its stance against terrorism.

The U.S. and its allies have been monitoring the domestic situation in Muslim dominated countries, particularly Pakistan and Indonesia, for any anti-American backlash that could risk the anti-terror alliance.

The APEC members are Australia, Brunei, Canada, Chile, China, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, Mexico, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, Peru, the Philippines, Russia, Singapore, South Korea, Taiwan, Thailand, the United States and Vietnam.