This Sunday I will travel to Beijing to attend the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) leaders’ meeting.
APEC has promoted regional economic integration and fostered free trade and investment since its inception in Canberra 25 years ago.
APEC brings together leaders from 21 economies that account for more than half of global GDP; are home to more than 2.7 billion people and represent more than two-thirds of Australia’s trade in goods and services.
The theme for this year’s APEC meeting is Shaping the Future through Asia-Pacific Partnership.
Leaders will discuss ways to further liberalise trade and better integrate our economies for the benefit of all nations.
Australia and China are hoping to finalise a free trade agreement so I will also use my visit to Beijing to further these important negotiations.
On Wednesday, I will travel to Nay Pyi Taw in Burma to attend the East Asia Summit.
The East Asia Summit engages all the major regional powers. Its members represent almost 70 per cent of Australia’s two-way trade and include eight of our top ten trading partners.
It is an important forum to promote the prosperity and security of the region.
I look forward to positive and open discussions with world leaders at both APEC and the East Asia Summit.
I will return on Friday November 14 to welcome UK Prime Minister David Cameron to Australia and attend his formal address to a joint-sitting of the Parliament in Canberra.
We will then join other leaders in Brisbane for the G20 Leaders’ Summit on November 15 and 16.
7 November 2014