APEC trade ministers' meeting endorses new roadmap for services sector

China said on Saturday that member economies of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) agreed to adopt a joint statement and approve a new roadmap for services sector development at this week's APEC Ministers Responsible for Trade Meeting.

Speaking at a press conference, China's Minister of Commerce Wang Wentao said all 21 member economies attended the two-day meeting held in east China's Suzhou, underscoring broad support for regional economic cooperation amid growing global uncertainties.

The joint statement was agreed to be named the Suzhou Statement, Wang added.

He said representatives from APEC observer economies, as well as heads of international organizations, including the World Trade Organization and the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development, also attended the meeting.

The meeting focused on "Building an Asia-Pacific Community to Prosper Together," Wang said, with delegates holding discussions on strengthening an open and predictable regional and multilateral trade order, as well as fostering new drivers for innovative trade and investment cooperation.

He said participants also reaffirmed support for advancing the long-term vision of a free trade area of the Asia-Pacific and pledged to work together on reforming the WTO and promoting digital and green trade cooperation.

The 2026 APEC "China Year" has set openness, innovation and cooperation as its three priority areas, aiming to translate the vision of an Asia-Pacific community into concrete actions and to better respond to new opportunities and challenges in regional development, a framework that has received broad endorsement from members, Wang added.