Media release 

Australian Minister for Trade, Mark Vaile

Wednesday, May 31, 2000
MVT59/2000

Darwin APEC Meeting to Push for New WTO

Trade Minister, Mark Vaile, will be aiming to use the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Trade Ministers Meeting in Darwin next week (June 6-7) to rebuild momentum for a new round of World Trade Organisation (WTO) negotiations.

The APEC grouping brings together 20 Asia-Pacific economies that account for over 60% of world GDP and over 70% of Australia's exports.

This will be the first major meeting of Trade Ministers since Seattle and an important opportunity to rebuild support for a new WTO round, Mr Vaile said.

As chair of the Darwin meeting, I want to channel the momentum coming out of the US congressional vote on China's WTO accession towards a new WTO round.

The APEC meeting in Auckland last year delivered strong support for new WTO negotiations and I'll be pushing for renewed vigour for opening up world trade.

I've invited WTO Director-General, Mike Moore, to Darwin to the Ministerial discussions on WTO issues, and to outline recent developments in Geneva.

Mr Vaile said the Darwin meeting was an opportunity to highlight the benefits to all nations of freer and fairer trade, adding that Australia had commissioned research that showed clear social and economic benefits flowed from reducing trade barriers.

There's a clear link between improved health and living standards and the opening of markets particularly for poorer and developing nations.

Talks in Darwin will also focus on sub-regional trade arrangements, including Free Trade Agreements, and how they relate to the broader APEC and WTO objectives.

APEC comprises: Australia, Brunei, Canada, Chile, China, Hong Kong (China), Indonesia, Japan, The Republic of Korea, Malaysia, Mexico, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, Peru, Philippines, Russian Federation, Singapore, Chinese Taipei, Thailand, US and Vietnam.