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APEC Ministers Agree to Work Harder for Early Launch of New Round of WTO Talks
Ministers or their representatives from the 21 Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) forum agreed on Wednesday that APEC member economies should work harder for an early launch of the new round of World Trade Organization (WTO) trade negotiations.
On the first day sessions of the two-day 13th APEC Ministerial Meeting, which opened on Wednesday morning, the participants discussed the slowdown in world economy and the economic implications of the September 11 terrorist attacks, said Wang Guangya, vice foreign minister of China.
In their speeches, Wang said, the participants displayed a sense of urgency for an early launch of the new-round global trade talks under the current world situation in the wake of the terrorist attacks on the United States.
While different interest must be taken into consideration, all sides should also show flexibility, the vice minister said.
In three weeks time, the WTO Ministerial Meeting will be held in Doha, Qatar, at which many WTO members wish to start the new round of global trade talks. Terrorism Doesn't Change APEC Nature Despite the fact that terrorism would be on the agenda of this year's Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) leaders' informal meeting, all members agree that APEC will remain as an economic forum, Wang Guangya said.
"APEC was created 12 years ago as a regional economic forum, every member economy still agrees that this nature of APEC will remain so," Wang, who chaired Monday's Senior Officials Meeting, told a news conference.
He said it is quite natural that APEC leaders will discuss the issue of terrorism at the Shanghai meeting after the September 11 terrorist attacks against the United States.
"It is also relevant to discuss the negative impact of terrorism on world economy on this occasion."
However, he said, discussion on terrorism will in no way change the nature of APEC.
He said many members, including developed ones, also agree that APEC will continue to concentrate on economics.
The 13th APEC Ministerial Meeting Opens in Shanghai
The 13th Ministerial Meeting (AMM) of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) has opened on 17 October in the Shanghai International Convention Center (ICC).
Ministers and representatives from all the 21 APEC member economies have attended the meeting. Representatives from the ASEAN Secretariat, Pacific Economic Cooperation Council (PECC) and Pacific Islands Forum (PIF) have been present at the meeting in the capacity of observers.
Co-chaired by H.E. Mr. Tang Jiaxuan, Minister of Foreign Affairs, and H.E. Mr. Shi Guangsheng, Minister of Foreign Trade and Economic Cooperation, the current AMM will mainly make preparations for the upcoming 9th APEC Economic Leaders' Meeting (AELM).
Under the theme of "Meeting New Challenges in the New Century: Achieving Common Prosperity through Participation and Cooperation", the AMM is expected to focus its discussions on the following topics, namely as: Advancing Trade and Investment, Sharing the Benefits of Globalization and the New Economy in the Asia-Pacific region and Promoting a Sustainable Economic Growth of the region.
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