APEC to accelerate regional economic integration: draft statement

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SINGAPORE, Nov. 11 Kyodo -
Pacific Rim economies will accelerate efforts to seek integration by enhancing
trade and investment liberalization in the area, a draft statement by ministers
says Wednesday.
Japan, which will chair the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation forum next year,
pledged it will step up commitment toward that end and lead the drawing up of a
comprehensive strategy to enable an ''inclusive growth'' and ensure all of the
people in the region benefit from the integration, as proposed by Singapore,
this year's chair, the Japanese trade minister said.
Trade and foreign ministers from the 21-member APEC started a two-day meeting
in Singapore. They ''reaffirm our commitment to accelerate APEC's core agenda
of strengthening REI (regional economic integration),'' according to the draft
obtained by Kyodo News.
APEC, including such big economies as China, Japan and the United States, will
also ''continue to develop building blocks towards a possible Free Trade Area
of the Asia-Pacific in the future,'' it also says.
Masayuki Naoshima, Japanese economy, trade and industry minister told reporters
that Japan suggested during the first day of the meeting that APEC compile a
comprehensive growth strategy that would include assistance to smaller firms
and promoting trade in energy-efficient and environment-friendly goods.
''There is no doubt the Asian economy is the world's growth center. We should
consider utilizing and spreading the dynamism through APEC,'' he said.
==Kyodo