SINGAPORE, Nov. 13 (Xinhua) -- The APEC CEO Summit 2009 opened here Friday, with more than 1,000 of the world's top business leaders gathering in Singapore to meet with APEC economic leaders.

    In a keynote address, Singaporean Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong said "we are meeting in a significant moment for the Asia-Pacific region" when the global economy is emerging from the crisis. "The measures the governments will take in a few months and the reaction to the crisis and opportunities we have created will determine how quickly we can recover and whether we can sustain our growth," he said.

Singaporean Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong addresses the APEC CEO Summit 2009 in Singapore, Nov. 13, 2009. The APEC CEO Summit 2009 was held here on Friday.

The IMF predicts Asia will lead the global recovery, but the recovery is not yet on a firm footing, he said, adding that people are watching closely for a gradual unwinding of the stimulus measures in a coordinated way.

    He urged the business circle to play a part, as governments and agencies can create preconditions for prosperity, but finally it is the business to create prosperity.

    Therefore, he called on the public and private sectors to work together to maintain a stable and conducive Asia-Pacific region.

    Incepted in 1996, the annual APEC CEO Summit is the biggest event of the business community of the region.

    The event this year is held under the theme of "Rebuilding the Global Economy: Crisis and Opportunity".