Asia-Pacific trade envoys gathered in China are expected to discuss multilateral cooperation, trade imbalances and supply chain resilience in the face of global shocks, including the US-Israeli war on Iran.Trade representatives from members of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) grouping, which together account for nearly half of global trade, will attend two days of meetings starting Friday in the eastern Chinese city of Suzhou.
"The more turbulent the times, the more we must adhere to seeking common ground while reserving differences, working together to overcome difficulties, striving to reach more consensus, leading the Asia-Pacific economy through the crisis and injecting confidence into the global economy," said Li Chenggang, China's international trade representative and vice commerce minister, in an address during the opening ceremony on Friday.
The event is part of several rounds of meetings ahead of an annual APEC leaders summit later this year in Shenzhen. Officials in attendance are also expected to discuss advancing the free-trade area of the Asia-Pacific region, boosting digital trade, ramping up artificial intelligence readiness and driving sustainable, inclusive growth.
