U.S. to focus on expanded trade at APEC

U.S. to focus on expanded trade at APEC

Reuters, Washington

U.S. Trade Representative Robert Zoellick will carry
Washington's vision of expanded trade in the Asia-Pacific region
to the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation meeting opening on
Wednesday in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico, his office said on Monday.

"I look forward to meeting with my fellow ministers and
discussing how to expand the benefits of trade throughout our
countries," Zoellick said in a statement.

Zoellick will outline U.S. policies to expand trade, freedom
and prosperity by pursuing trade liberalization through the Asia-
Pacific region, the statement said.

The U.S. trade official noted the gathering at the Mexican
beach resort would be the first meeting of APEC trade ministers
since China and Taiwan joined the World Trade Organization last
December.

He added that U.S. Senate passage of a bill last week that
would give the White House broad powers to negotiate new trade
pacts "provides momentum for American economic leadership."

U.S. trading partners have recently criticized the Bush
administration over decisions seen at odds with free-trade
principles, such as imposing hefty tariffs on steel imports and
signing new farm legislation doling out billions in subsidies to
American farmers.

Zoellick this week will likely hear more on those issues as
well as other simmering trade disputes.

On the eve of the 21-member APEC meeting, Zoellick is
scheduled to hold talks in Puerto Vallarta with Mexican Economy
Secretary Luis Ernest Derbez and Canadian Trade Minister Pierre
Pettigrew.

Derbez said last week that differences over trade in sugar and
high fructose corn syrup and the opening of U.S. roads to Mexican
transport trucks would be at the forefront of those discussions.