The 13th meeting of APEC Ministers Responsible for Trade was held in Cairns, Australia, July 5 to 6. Trade ministers and representatives of 21 member countries, including the Chinese delegation headed by Vice Minister Yi Xiaozhun, attended the conference. Among the topics discussed were the Doha development agenda, the economic integration of the Asia-Pacific region, the liberalization and facilitation of trade and investment, and IP protection. The meeting concluded with the release of Statement of APEC Trade Ministers and Statement of APEC Trade Ministers on Doha Development Agenda.

The Meeting pointed out that Asia-Pacific region was the most active and fast-growing area in the world economy, with a trade and investment system being increasingly liberal and convenient. The goal of APEC, therefore, is to explore effective ways to realize economic integration within the region and promote sounder economic development of its member countries. Initiated by China, IPR Guidelines on Capacity Building and Second Trade Facilitation Action Plan were endorsed by the Meeting, which also set the goal of lowering trade cost within the Asia-Pacific region by another 5% by the year 2010.

In the speech made at the Conference, Yi Xiaozhun reiterated the importance that China had attached to the Doha Round, and its consistent efforts to develop an open, fair, and non-discriminative multilateral trade system. The Doha Round, which is concerning development, marks the first time in the history of the multilateral trade system to put development problem in the spotlight. The developing members should benefit from the Doha negotiation.