APEC Ministers Acknowledge Importance of Free Trade

Lima, Nov. 14 (Jiji Press)--Ministers of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation forum affirmed the importance of free trade at their meeting on Thursday, amid concerns over a possible rise in protectionism in the wake of U.S. President-elect Donald Trump's return to the White House.

But the ministers from the 21 APEC member economies, including Japan, the United States and China, failed to adopt a joint statement during their meeting in the Peruvian capital of Lima. Working-level efforts to materialize such a statement are still underway.

Before the closing of the meeting, Japanese Foreign Minister Takeshi Iwaya told reporters that the participants "affirmed cooperation in promoting a free and fair trade environment and an investment environment to achieve sustainable growth."

At a press conference after the gathering, Yoji Muto, another Japanese minister, in charge of trade, said, "Many ministers called for reinforcing the rule-based free trade system through boosting the World Trade Organization's functions and promoting and expanding economic partnership agreements."

Muto declined to comment on why a joint statement was not agreed on during the meeting, only saying, "At a time when we are entering a new world, international cooperation is a very important point of view."

The APEC ministers got together after Trump said he would nominate Sen. Marco Rubio for U.S. secretary of state. Rubio is known for his hardline stance toward China.

Last year, when the United States was APEC chair, a joint ministerial statement could not be adopted until the end of the leaders' meeting.

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