Taking steps to reconnect the Asia-Pacific region is undoubtedly the shared priority for the members to foster economic recovery from the Covid-19 pandemic, said the Secretary for Commerce and Economic Development, Edward Yau in an Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) meeting. He said that two years into the Covid pandemic, the global economy is still grappling with lots of uncertainties and challenges. In these trying times, international cooperation is more important than ever. Yau also mentioned Hong Kong plans to set up a “Digital Economy Development Committee” to accelerate the progress of the digital economy, and called on member economies to leverage digital technology to reduce trade costs, facilitate investment and resume cross-border travel. He urged members to consider incremental steps forward to address new and emerging environmental goods and further the discussions around environmental services, remarking APEC's role as a pioneer in stimulating trade collaboration to pursue sustainability objectives.

Source: The Standard May 22, 2022 17:26 UTC