APEC Examining Progress in Trade Liberalization

Hiroshima, Feb. 22 (Jiji Press)--The Asia-Pacific Economic
Cooperation forum on Monday began the process for evaluating progress in
trade liberalization efforts as part of preparations for an APEC summit in
Yokohama, southwest of Tokyo, in November.
The process began at two-day talks that opened in this western
Japan city among senior APEC officials.
Japan will host an APEC summit for the first time since 1995, when
such a meeting took place in the western Japan city of Osaka.
The focus of this year's summit is how to let the entire
Asia-Pacific region enjoy the benefits of strong growth in China and
Southeast Asian countries through further liberalization of trade and
investment.
The summit will be important for Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama,
whose main diplomatic policy goal is the creation of an East Asian
community.
The Hiroshima meeting is aimed at discussing how to evaluate
progress in liberalization efforts made by APEC members in line with the
so-called Bogor goals, adopted in 1994, which require developed APEC members
to achieve trade and investment liberalization by 2010.
APEC members hope they can agree on evaluation methods at a meeting
of their trade ministers to be held in Sapporo, Hokkaido, northern Japan, in
June.
Another focal point is a proposed free trade area of the
Asia-Pacific region.