APEC meet to discuss trade, e-commerce<\/p>\n
By Lara Parpan<\/p>\n
SINGAPORE (AFP): Progress in lifting free trade barriers,
\nstrengthening market structures and kickstarting electronic
\ncommerce initiatives in the region top the agenda for senior
\nAsia-Pacific officials meeting in Brunei this week.<\/p>\n
The June 2-3 gathering of officials from the 21-member Asia
\nPacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) forum in the Brunei capital
\nof Bandar Seri Begawan, immediately precedes a trade ministers'
\nmeeting in Darwin, Australia.<\/p>\n
APEC is determined to achieve free trade and investment among
\nits members by 2020. The grouping, which makes decisions by
\nconsensus, also hopes to present a unified front in pushing for a
\nnew round of multilateral trade talks in the World Trade
\nOrganization.<\/p>\n
Trade relations among Asia-Pacific nations received a boost
\nlast week when U.S. lawmakers voted to grant China permanent
\nnormal trade relations status (PNTR). China and the United States
\nare members of APEC.<\/p>\n
Under PNTR, China's exporters are assured of benefiting on a
\npermanent basis from the same low U.S. tariffs enjoyed by all but
\na handful of nations.<\/p>\n
Other APEC members have welcomed the move saying it will lead
\nto more opportunities for them as China accedes to the World
\nTrade Organization.<\/p>\n
Singapore Trade Minister George Yeo said the positive U.S.
\nvote \"greatly improves the prospect for peace and prosperity in
\nthe Pacific for many years to come.\"<\/p>\n
There had been fears expressed by leaders in the Pacific rim
\nthat political will was undermining the quest for global free
\ntrade and investment, and some APEC members were taking
\ninitiatives to implement free trade agreements on a bilateral
\nbasis.<\/p>\n
Lim Jock Seng, the Brunei government official chairing this
\nweekend's meeting, said they hoped to forward to the ministers'
\ngathering in Darwin improved commitments by member economies to
\nlower trade and tariff barriers and strengthen their market
\nstructures.<\/p>\n
The meeting will consider a paper by Australia on the \"trade
\nand development experience in APEC\" and Japan's proposals for
\nconfidence building measures in the World Trade Organization.<\/p>\n
Australia will also brief officials on the progress of a
\nblueprint to fully utilize e-commerce in trade by 2010.<\/p>\n
At a meeting of APEC telecommunications' ministers in Cancun,
\nMexico last week, Singapore, backed by some member countries,
\ncalled for an end to international telecom charging practices for
\nInternet services that place the entire burden of costs between
\nAsia and North America on Asian telecom firms.<\/p>\n
The tech-savvy island-state warned that the digital divide
\nbetween those with access to the Internet and information
\ntechnology and those without, would widen because of the
\nimbalance, saying the global subsidy of Asian Internet service
\nproviders stood at five billion U.S. dollars each year.<\/p>\n
Prior to the June 2-3 meeting, the officials will also meet
\nfor two days in a more relaxed setting in the oil town of Seria
\nto discuss issues such as the so-called new economy and human
\nresource development, Lim said.<\/p>\n
APEC groups Australia, Brunei, Canada, Chile, China, Hong
\nKong, Indonesia, Japan, South Korea, Malaysia, Mexico, New
\nZealand, Papua New Guinea, Peru, the Philippines, Russia,
\nSingapore, Taiwan, Thailand, United States and Vietnam.<\/p>",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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