APEC Trade Officials Lay Groundwork for Ministerial Meeting

Trade and investment officials from the 21 APEC member economies gathered in Jeju for the second meeting of the Committee on Trade and Investment, laying critical groundwork ahead of next week’s APEC Ministers Responsible for Trade Meeting.

Amid persistent global economic uncertainty, the meeting underscored APEC’s enduring role in maintaining open and predictable trade and investment systems.

Under Korea’s host year theme of “Building a Sustainable Tomorrow: Connect, Innovate, Prosper,” members discussed how APEC can support the multilateral trading system, and reviewed concrete proposals to advance the Free Trade Area of the Asia Pacific (FTAAP) agenda, boost digital trade, strengthen supply chain resilience and connectivity, and deepen cooperation on sustainable and inclusive growth initiatives.

“In Jeju, APEC economies came together with a clear mission: to advance technical work so our ministers can deliver strong, collective outcomes next week,” said Christopher Tan, Chair of the Committee on Trade and Investment (CTI).

“As we head toward the Ministers Responsible for Trade Meeting, the spirit of collaboration remains our strongest asset. APEC thrives when we work together—constructively, inclusively and with purpose,” Tan added.

Among the key items discussed were Korea’s flagship deliverables for 2025, including the APEC Artificial Intelligence Initiative and the Collaborative Framework on Demographic Change. The AI initiative aims to drive economic growth and resilience by enhancing AI readiness, strengthening institutional and workforce capacities, and catalyzing investment in sustainable digital infrastructure.

The demographic framework, meanwhile, seeks to address region-wide challenges such as aging populations and labor shortages through cross-border collaboration, human resource mobility, and structural reforms.

The meeting also heard updates from the APEC Business Advisory Council (ABAC), which called on economies to support the multilateral trading system with the WTO as its core. ABAC reiterated the importance of the Investment Facilitation for Development Agreement, the E-Commerce Agreement and the establishment of a permanent E-Commerce Moratorium.

The council also emphasized the need for early FTAAP deliverables, greener trade practices and inclusive policies that champion universal economic participation and empower women and small businesses, as well as the establishment of a Centre of Excellence for Paperless Trade.

Another highlight was the discussion on the Implementation Plan for the Lima Roadmap (2025–2040), a regional strategy to support informal economic actors in transitioning to the formal and global economy. The plan encourages APEC economies to align policies and capacity-building efforts to foster entrepreneurship, digital access, and financial inclusion.

Members also deliberated on advancing the FTAAP agenda, with the CTI holding its first policy dialogue under the Ichma Statement that discussed on how APEC can improve trade facilitation amongst members as well as increase the convergence of regional trade agreements. Members discussed proposals on capacity building, paperless trade, digital trade and support for women participation in global value chain.

Looking ahead, outcomes from this meeting will directly inform ministerial discussions on 15–16 May in Jeju, where APEC trade ministers are expected to chart the region’s path on priorities such as WTO reform, inclusive digital trade, and regional economic integration.