The Chinese business community calls for promoting the building of the FREE Trade Area of the Asia-Pacific (FTAAP) and injecting the concept of an Asi

During the 28th APEC Trade Ministers' Meeting held recently, The Chinese business community called for the promotion of the Free Trade Area of the Asia-Pacific (FTAAP) and put forward a number of proposals.

The 28th APEC Trade Ministers' Meeting was held on May 21. Trade ministers from APEC economies held a dialogue with representatives of the APEC Business Advisory Council (ABAC) to discuss the building of the Post-covid-19 Free Trade Area of the Asia-Pacific (FTAAP).

The dialogue was chaired by Thai Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Commerce Zhu Lin. Chinese Minister of Commerce Wang Wentao, Vice Minister of Commerce and Deputy Representative for International Trade Negotiations Wang Shouwen, trade ministers or representatives of other APEC economies and some representatives of APEC Business Advisory Council attended the dialogue. Ning Gaoning, Chairman of Sinochem and Hu Houzuo, Vice Chairman of Huawei attended the online meeting as ABAC China representatives.

At the meeting, Ning Gaoning spoke on behalf of The Chinese business community. He said the world is facing many economic, political and COVID-19 challenges, and the global economic growth is slowing down. As an important engine driving world economic growth, the Asia-Pacific region should make more contributions. NingGaoNing will put forward four Suggestions to promote the asia-pacific free trade area construction, including the use of well the regional comprehensive economic partnership agreement (RCEP), and other existing fta, actively absorb other economies with the attitude of open inclusive members to join, to take effective measures to help enterprises to realize efficient, freedom and convenience of trade, "asia-pacific community" concept into the asia-pacific free trade area construction, etc.

It is learnt that CCPIT has always led the Chinese business community in participating in APEC cooperation. Since 2000, ccPIT has organized Chinese business delegations to attend the APEC CEO Summit. Since 2005, CCPIT has assumed the secretariat of THE APEC Business Advisory Council (ABAC), witnessing and promoting the Chinese business community's participation in APEC cooperation.