(February 2, 2010) An update on plans for California activities related to a gathering of top diplomatic officials for the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) was the subject of a recent meeting attended by the California Chamber of Commerce.
Also attending the January 19–20 meeting in Northern California were U.S. government and business officials, and CalChamber member companies In addition to receiving a post-Singapore Fall 2009 APEC briefing, meeting attendees heard of plans for the 2010 Japan meetings, and discussed 2011 meetings.
U.S. to Chair in 2011
The United States will chair the APEC process in 2011, including hosting a series of meetings of high-level officials and ministers, culminating in a Fall Leaders Week in Hawaii. The APEC process rotates by country each year.
California is expected to have an opportunity to host one or more of the key APEC meetings leading up to the heads-of-state meeting and CEO summit in Honolulu.
The California APEC 2011 Organizing Committee (CalAPEC) is a coalition of business, government and international organizations working to ensure that key meetings take place in California and that U.S. objectives reflect good policy for the Golden State. California is more dependent on Asia-Pacific business than any other U.S. state.
Formed in 1989, APEC serves as a multilateral forum in which Asian and Pacific economies can solve economic problems and cooperate in developing key economic sectors.
Collectively, the 21 economies of APEC, which touch the Pacific Ocean, represent a large consumer market—nearly half the world’s population, nearly half of all world trade and more than $19 trillion in economic output.
The APEC economies are: Australia, Brunei Darussalam, Canada, Chile, People’s Republic of China, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Japan, Republic of Korea, Malaysia, Mexico, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, Peru, Republic of the Philippines, Russia, Singapore, Chinese Taipei, Thailand, United States and Vietnam.
APEC ministers have met each year since November 1994, when they issued the Bogor Declaration, which calls for industrialized members of APEC to remove trade barriers.
More Information CalAPEC is working to help develop one of the nation’s most important international diplomatic meetings. More information is available at www.calchamber.com/APEC.
Staff Contact: Susanne Stirling