WNAM REPORT: Trade Minister Budi Santoso will underscore Indonesia’s commitment to strengthening regional and global trade systems through inclusive, sustainable multilateral cooperation at the APEC Ministers Responsible for Trade Meeting (MRT), Jeju, South Korea, on May 15-16.
Indonesia views the APEC MRT as an important forum to drive the transformation of a regional trade system that is adaptive to technological advancements and global sustainability challenges.
“We will actively voice national interests, particularly on strengthening a regulatory-compliant trade system, reforming the World Trade Organization (WTO), (utilizing) artificial intelligence for trade facilitation, and strengthening the supply chain,” Budi noted in his statement on Wednesday (May 14).
The meeting will address several topics within the APEC Economy, including innovation in artificial intelligence for trade facilitation, connectivity through the multilateral trade system, and achieving prosperity through sustainable trade.
On the sidelines of the APEC MRT 2025, Minister Budi is also scheduled to hold several bilateral meetings with strategic partners, including South Korea, New Zealand, Japan, Peru, Singapore, and Chile, as well as meet with the WTO director general.
Discussions will cover strategic issues of common interest, trade cooperation, expanding market access, and strengthening trade relations between countries.
APEC is an intergovernmental forum of 21 member economies in the Pacific Rim that promotes free trade throughout the Asia-Pacific region.
Its main activities include trade cooperation, investment, and other economic cooperation initiatives to encourage growth and prosperity in the Asia-Pacific.
APEC cooperation is non-political and voluntary, with all decisions made by consensus among its members and non-binding.
APEC member economies include the United States, Australia, Brunei Darussalam, Chile, the Philippines, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Japan, Canada, South Korea, Malaysia, Mexico, Peru, Papua New Guinea, China, Russia, New Zealand, Singapore, Taiwan, Thailand, and Vietnam.
