APEC trade ministers to meet in Auckland

APEC trade ministers to meet in Auckland

WELLINGTON (Reuters): Most APEC economies will send their most senior trade ministers to an APEC trade conference in Auckland next week, New Zealand officials said on Monday.

The world's two biggest economies, the United States and Japan, will be represented by U.S. Trade Representative Ambassador Charlene Barshefsky and Japanese Trade and Industry Minister Kaoru Yosano.

But Russian Trade Minister Mikhail Fradkov had advised he was unable to attend, the officials said.

Conflicting commitments similarly meant that Canada, Mexico and Papua New Guinea also would be represented by other than their trade ministers.

China was sending its vice minister of Foreign Trade and Economic Co-operation, He Long Yongtu, according to an APEC attendance list.

Australia, Indonesia, Korea, Malaysia, the Philippines and Vietnam are among nations sending their senior trade ministers to the gathering, one of a series leading up to the summit of the 21 APEC economies in Auckland in September.

Thailand's Deputy Prime Minister, and candidate to head the World Trade Organization, Dr Supachai Panitchpakdi will head the Thai delegation.

He may well come face to face with New Zealand's candidate for the WTO director-generalship, Mike Moore.

Taiwan is sending Economic Affairs Minister Wang Chih-kang. New Zealand Trade Minister Lockwood Smith pointed out that most economies were sending high-ranking ministers to the conference on Tuesday and Wednesday, June 29 and 30.

"It reflects the importance each economy places on the trade and investment issues to be discussed," he said in a statement. APEC's members are Australia, Brunei, Canada, Chile, China, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Japan, South Korea, Malaysia, Mexico, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, Peru, the Philippines, Russia, Singapore, Taiwan, Thailand, the United States and Vietnam.