MEDIA RELEASE

ACTING PRIME MINISTER AND
MINISTER FOR TRADE

TIM FISCHER

9 July 1999

Darwin To Take APEC Into The New Millennium

Darwin will host the first APEC Trade Ministers Meeting of the new millennium from 28-30 June 2000, according to the Acting Prime Minister and Minister for Trade, Tim Fischer.

Mr Fischer revealed publicly the APEC meeting dates for the first time during an address to Northern Territory Press Club in Darwin today.

"This meeting of Trade Ministers from 21 economies from throughout the Asia Pacific region is great news for Darwin, the Northern Territory and Australia."

"The APEC region accounts for around 45 percent of world trade, including more than 73 percent of Australia's merchandise exports and 66 percent of services exports.

"There is no Australian city more engaged with the Asia Pacific region, no city more outward looking, no city more committed to our export future than Darwin, as demonstrated again by this year's successful NT Expo.

"These are challenging times for our exporters and important trade fora like APEC are critical to helping push for a freer and fairer global trading environment, which in turn generates more exports and more jobs for all Australians.

"Last week in Auckland, APEC Trade Ministers were able to give a timely boost to launching a new round of trade negotiations in the World Trade Organisation. Next year's meeting will be important to secure a dynamic role for APEC as an ongoing contributor to an ambitious agenda in a new round which we hope will be launched in Seattle later this year."

Mr Fischer said the Commonwealth looked forward to working closely with the NT Government to ensure the Year 2000 APEC Trade Minsters' meeting delivers for Darwin and for Australia. The meeting will be a golden opportunity to showcase what the Territory has to offer as a trading and tourism hub for Australia and Asia.

Australia is chairing this meeting at the invitation of Brunei, who will host the APEC Leaders Summit in November 2000.

The 21 member economies of the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) group include: Australia, Brunei, Canada, Chile, China, Chinese Taipei, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, Mexico, New Zealand, PNG, Peru, Philippines, Russia, Singapore, South Korea, Thailand, United States, Vietnam.