Trade ministers from 21 Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) economies gathered here on July 21 to discuss policy responses to the economic crisis as well as preparing for recovery in the longer-term.
The two-day Ministers Responsible for Trade meeting is the first APEC Ministerial Meeting of APEC 2009 chaired by Singapore.
The meeting will focus on how APEC economies can make growth more inclusive to spread its benefits more broadly across society. Resisting protectionism and supporting the multilateral trading system will also be top of the meeting agenda.
Promoting economic integration in the region has been the mainstay of APEC's work. Ministers are also expected to review the progress made, and discuss how to take it forward.
Pascal Lamy, director-general of the World Trade Organization, will join the meeting and brief the ministers on the latest trade developments in the world and the Asia-Pacific region.
Singapore is playing host to the APEC meetings held from February to November 2009. They will culminate in the APEC Economic Leaders' Meeting, where leaders of APEC's 21 member economies will meet in Singapore on Nov. 14-15 this year.
