Rt Hon John Key
Prime Minister

30 September 2013 Media Statement
PM to attend APEC and the East Asia Summit
Prime Minister John Key will attend two major Asia-Pacific leaders’ meetings next week, the 2013 APEC Leaders’ meeting in Bali from October 7-8 and then the East Asia Summit in Brunei from October 9-10.

Mr Key will join the political leaders from 20 other APEC economies in Bali to discuss trade liberalisation and economic integration, as well as a range of other political and security topics.

Mr Key will also hold bilateral meetings with other political leaders, join talks on the Trans Pacific Partnership (TPP), address the APEC CEOs’ Summit, and speak at a tourism development conference hosted by Indonesia.

“APEC’s focus on regional integration sets a constructive economic agenda in the region while the East Asia Summit brings regional leaders together around a combined economic and security agenda,” says Mr Key.

“Our largest trading partners will be present at these summits. Around 44 per cent of global trade now takes place among APEC economies, and 70 per cent of New Zealand’s total goods trade by value is with APEC economies.’’

APEC includes Australia, Brunei Darussalam, Canada, Chile, the People’s Republic of China, Hong Kong China, Indonesia, Japan, Republic of Korea, Malaysia, Mexico, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, Peru, the Philippines, Russia, Singapore, Chinese Taipei, Thailand, the United States and Viet Nam.

Foreign Affairs Minister Murray McCully and Trade Minister Tim Groser will also travel to Bali to attend Ministerial meetings as part of APEC Leaders week.

At the conclusion of APEC, Mr Key will head to Brunei for the East Asia Summit which will cover a wide range of political, security and economic topics.

Note to Editors:

Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) was formed in 1989 to promote sustainable economic growth and trade and investment liberalisation in the Asia-Pacific. The main event on the annual APEC calendar is the Economic Leaders’ Meeting (AELM), attended by heads of Government. These meetings set APEC’s policy direction and effort for the year ahead. Indonesia is the 2013 APEC host, with China following in 2014.

The East Asia Summit (EAS), formed in 2005, brings together the 10 countries of the Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN) with eight other Asia-Pacific countries, including New Zealand. The focus is the annual leaders’ summit, which considers a wide range of political, security and economic topics. Brunei is the current EAS chair, and Myanmar will take over next year.

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