The two-day APEC Trade Ministers Meeting was held on June 5 in Sapporo of Japan. Trade Ministers from 21 APEC members were present.

Focus of the meeting was “Change and Action”. In the non-official meeting held on June 5, parties at the meeting discussed on the issues of Doha Round Negotiations, opposing trade protectionism, APEC Bogor Goals, new strategies for growth and future development of APEC. Chinese Commerce Minister Chen Deming and Vice Minister Yi Xiaozhun headed the Chinese delegation to attend the meeting and delivered their ideas in the discussion.

Since Doha Round Negotiations were launched 9 years ago, the economic pattern and trade situation has changed a lot, however, the mission of Doha Round Negotiations was not changed, neither the development theme. In order to make substantial progress, all members should cherish the existing achievements and establish practical goals. China, as a developing country and a newly accessed WTO member, has made great contributions to the Negotiations. And China hoped that relevant developed countries could show more political sincerity. In the final period of the negotiation, it is dangerous and irresponsible to unilaterally raise the price of market access. China stressed that as Doha Round Negotiations were a development agenda, China supported that the least-developed countries made early harvest so as to solve their current difficulties as soon as possible.

China emphasized that given the financial crisis, trade protectionism could only make the crisis worse, cut the throat of the economic recovery, and increase the risk of the double dip of the global economy. To oppose the trade protectionism should be put into practice instead of lip service. As Trade and Investment Liberalization is the objective of APEC, APEC should be the example of the world in the issue of opposing trade protectionism.

China insisted that APEC members should carefully make the review on Bogor Goals, practically improve the trade and investment liberalization and facilitation in Asia Pacific region, and continue reducing tariff barriers including tariff peaks and non-tariff barriers, particularly various green barriers against developing member countries. Besides, all members should continue boosting more free and convenient flow of merchandise, labor and capital, reducing trade cost in local areas, enhancing mutual communication and restoring enterprises’ vitality as soon as possible.

Additionally, the Chinese party made a briefing on China’s upholding of expanding domestic demand and opening-up, and accelerating the transformation of the mode of the economic growth and structural adjustment when coping with the economic crisis, and pointed out that as the situation of current global economy was more and more complex with uncertain outlook of recovery, APEC members should enhance coordination and cooperation and jointly cope with challenges; adhere to and expand open market and keep key currencies steady; accelerate the transformation of economic development mode, attach great importance to innovative technology and realize green growth; boost the process of regional economic integration and multilateral trade negotiation, and continue promoting the trade and investment liberalization. Moreover, developed member countries should increase their technology and capital investment in developing member countries for conquering the imbalanced development so as to fundamentally promote the orderly, balanced and sustainable development of regional and global economy.

On the same day, Minister Chen exchanged views with Canadian Minister of International Trade Peter Van Loan and Indonesian Trade Minister Marie Elka Pangestu on bilateral and multilateral issues of common interest.