Landmark Agreement to Extend APEC Business Travel Card Announced

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Issued by the APEC Business Mobility Group

Beijing, China, 13 November 2014 – The lifespan of the APEC Business Travel Card (ABTC) that expedites travel and border entry between all 21 APEC member economies has received in-principle agreement to increase in validity from three to five years. The agreement aims to further improve business conditions and facilitate the mobility of businesspeople across the Asia-Pacific. 

Through a single application, the ABTC offers businesspeople three-year, short-stay multiple entry to participating member economies and express lane access at key immigration checkpoints in APEC member economy airports. The APEC Business Mobility Group, which administers the ABTC scheme, looks forward to progressing extension discussions towards implementation of the agreement.  

The in-principle agreement is another major boost to the scheme which rounded out participation in the region with the full accession of Russia last year, followed by Canada and the United States’ opening of applications to their citizens for the first time in May and June 2014, respectively. 

The ABTC was launched by APEC economies in 1997. The number of active users as at mid-2014 increased 20 per cent to more than 164,000 compared to around 137,000 at mid-2013.  

“APEC economies are making it easier for businesspeople to deal with the loss or exchange of their ABTC or passport and improving the application of emerging technologies like advanced passenger information and automated border control systems,” said Kerryn Vine-Camp, APEC Business Mobility Group Convenor from Australia. “The bottom line is we want to streamline barriers to business mobility as much as possible, while working with the private sector to better understand where the areas of greatest need lie.”  

The ABTC reduces the cost of cardholders’ business travel between APEC economies by 38 per cent, according to APEC Policy Support Unit research. The card was specifically found to cut application fees by 27.8 per cent, application time costs by 43.3 per cent and immigration processing time costs by 52.4 per cent. 

“The expansion of the ABTC is very significant,” said Mika Takahashi, Deputy General Manager of Mitsubishi Corporation’s Global Relations Department and lead representative of the APEC Business Advisory Council on business mobility issues. “The decision will not only make it easier for cardholders to do business in the region over a longer period of time, it also draws attention to a new world of opportunities for strengthening people-to-people connectivity.” 

For more:

To learn how to apply for an APEC Business Travel Card, click on this link.

Answers to frequently asked questions about the ABTC scheme can viewed here. 

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Lausanne Sports Studies Centre: the IOC President visits young champions and coaches

©IOC/Christophe Moratal

12/11/2014

On Tuesday morning, the IOC President was at the Lausanne Sports Studies Centre (CSEL) to meet the members of the Foundation Board, coaches on a training course and talented local youngsters making use of the Centre’s facilities next to the city’s Pontaise Stadium.

On this occasion, he emphasised the strong links that have existed between the IOC and this sports institution for more than 12 years. Opened in 2001, this Centre was dear to former IOC President Samaranch, who was behind the project and wanted to mark the excellent relations between the IOC and the city of Lausanne. The IOC was represented on the CSEL Foundation Board for several years, and IOC Honorary President Jacques Rogge was made a patron of the Centre.
During a meeting attended by CSEL Foundation Board Chairman Jean-Jacques Schwaab, CSEL Director Jean-Marc Gerber, Municipal Councillor for Sport Marc Vuilleumier and the Head of the Sports Department, Patrice Iseli, the IOC President said: “The CSEL is a very important pillar and perfectly meets the needs of budding young athletes, as training and education go hand-in-hand. I congratulate you on your efforts and your work. Your philosophy is very much in line with that of the IOC.”
This year, the CSEL is hosting more than 30 young boarders and 80 day students from football, ice hockey, badminton, tennis and dance.
The Centre is also currently hosting six coaches from African countries (Algeria, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Congo, Gabon and Togo), who are taking part in an eight-week sports science training course with the help of Olympic Solidarity. Their sports are football, handball, swimming, table tennis and taekwondo.
The IOC supports this training course, which is held twice a year (spring and autumn sessions) in Lausanne. Since 2001, some 156 coaches from 30 countries and specialising in 21 different sports have been hosted at the CSEL.
“The presence of these international coaches contributes to the richness of this Centre. It is a great illustration of the exchanges that can take place thanks to sport,” the IOC President observed.
Accompanied by the Director of Relations with the National Olympic Committees and Olympic Solidarity, Pere Miró, the IOC President then visited the facilities and met several of the athletes and coaches.

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Youth share their vision for the Asia-Pacific at APEC Leaders Week

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Issued by The APEC Secretariat

12 November 2014, Beijing, China - Students from across the Asia-Pacific engaged in a dialogue with APEC Leaders, regional experts and business executives and presented their vision for the future during the 2014 APEC Leaders’ Week.

Two separate youth programs—the 2014 APEC Youth Program, hosted by the All-China Youth Federation, and the APEC Voices of the Future Program—brought together promising young leaders from across the Asia-Pacific to represent the views of the future generation on key APEC issues.

After the 7-day program, university students from the 2014 APEC Youth Program presented a set of policy recommendations on various topics of the APEC agenda, including people-to-people connectivity and the internet economy, which was delivered to APEC Senior Officials.

Recalling the evolution of APEC’s 25-year history, former Australian Prime Minister Bob Hawke and one of the key founders of APEC, spoke with students at the 2014 APEC Youth Program on Saturday.

“It is a matter of considerable pride to be here on 25^th Anniversary of the formation of APEC,” said Hawke. “There is no doubt that the region’s economic development has been facilitated by the processes and principles of APEC.”

“It is a very simple concept that no economy can begin to optimize its economic potential unless it integrates with and takes advantage of the resources of economies around it. It’s a simple economic truism and the basic principle on which APEC has operated on and the principle that has allowed so much success for the economies in the region,” explained Hawke to an audience of university students.

The 2014 APEC Youth Program and the APEC Voices of the Future Program activities both occurred on the sidelines of the APEC Leaders’ Week during 5-11 November, capturing the voice of the region’s future generation of leaders.

"We are still the creatures of social media and pop culture but we care about economics and international relations,” said Han Xiaomeng, a student at Tsinghua University in Beijing who spoke at the opening ceremony of the 2014 APEC Youth Program. “Together, we can make an amazing difference."

Meanwhile, running on a parallel track, the APEC Voices of the Future brought 116 students and educators from 16 APEC member economies to Beijing this year.

“Youth delegates participated in cultural exchanges and attended the APEC CEO Summit this past week where they had the opportunity to interact with leaders and business executives,” explained James Soh, Executive Director of the National Youth Achievement Award Council who manages the APEC Voices of the Future program. “During this process, students were enriched through their exposure to the Leaders of our region as well as through discussions with each other.”

The APEC Voices of the Future Program selected students based on a competitive essay submission coordinated by the APEC Voices Leadership Council, led by China, Mexico, New Zealand, Singapore and the United States.

"I would like to voice my concern on the future of APEC, especially in areas related to food security, education and women';s issues,” said Yin Xiao, a 22-year old student from the Beijing Foreign Studies University, and participant in the APEC Voices of the Future Program.

Kelly Marie Dickson, a 21-year old from Furman University in the United States, explained, “I hope to expand my world-view by experiencing cultures that are different from my own and learning from our differences.”

“I believe the APEC Voices Program will further develop my leadership abilities and challenge me to see policy discussions from a different perspective,” added Dickson.

APEC Leaders Issue Declaration in Beijing

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Issued by the APEC Secretariat

Beijing, China, 11 November 2014 – The Leaders of the 21 APEC member economies concluded their meeting at Yanqi Lake on Tuesday by issuing the 22nd APEC Economic Leaders'; Meeting Declaration - Beijing Agenda for an Integrated, Innovative and Interconnected Asia-Pacific.

View the 22nd APEC Economic Leaders'; Meeting Declaration

The Declaration outlines new far-reaching measures for advancing regional economic integration, promoting innovative development, economic reform and growth, and strengthening comprehensive connectivity and infrastructure development, with a view to expanding and deepening regional economic cooperation, and attaining peace, stability, development and common prosperity of the Asia-Pacific.

The following annexes accompany the Declaration:

• Annex A - The Beijing Roadmap for APEC';s Contribution to the Realization of the Free Trade Area of the Asia-Pacific (FTAAP)
• Annex B - APEC Strategic Blueprint for Promoting Global Value Chain Development and Cooperation
• Annex C - APEC Accord on Innovative Development, Economic Reform and Growth
• Annex D - APEC Connectivity Blueprint for 2015-2025

View the annexes - click and see right

Additional measures are described in Declaration for strengthening the rules-based, transparent, non-discriminatory, open and inclusive multilateral trading system as embodied in the World Trade Organization.

Leaders also issued the Statement on the 25th Anniversary of APEC.

The Philippines will chair APEC in 2015 and host the 23rd APEC Economic Leaders'; Meeting.

Xi to APEC Leaders: Inject New Vitality into Asia-Pacific Development

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Issued by the APEC Secretariat

Beijing, China, 11 November 2014 – China’s President Xi Jinping opened the 22nd APEC Economic Leaders’ Meeting on Tuesday at Yanqi Lake where the region’s Leaders are gathered to advance next generation measures for enhancing cooperation between member economies and manifest a new vision for sustainable, inclusive development across the Asia-Pacific.

View President Xi’s opening remarks

Against the backdrop of a shifting global landscape, President Xi outlined actions that Leaders will consider to advance regional economic integration, promote innovative development, economic reform and growth, and strengthen comprehensive connectivity and infrastructure development—priority areas of APEC collaboration during China’s year as Chair. 

“The world economic recovery still faces many unpredictable and destabilizing factors,” said President Xi. “The Asia-Pacific has entered a new stage of development.” 

“In the face of new conditions, we need to intensify regional economic integration and foster an open environment that is conducive to long-term development,” he explained.  

“While continuing to advance the Bogor Goals, we should vigorously promote the development of the FTAAP by identifying targets and laying out directions and roadmaps,” President Xi asserted. “This will help realize, at an early date, the vision of a highly open integration arrangement that spans across the Pacific Ocean.” 

Leaders will consider a roadmap for achieving the APEC goal of an FTAAP, or Free Trade Area of the Asia-Pacific, and the contribution APEC can make to drive this process. 

“We need to be innovative in development approaches—pursue development through innovation and reform instead of driving it the usual way by relying on factors of production and export,” President Xi added. “We need to advance scientific and technological innovation to facilitate energy and consumption revolution and make the Asia-Pacific region a global leader in achieving new technological revolution.” 

A strategic blueprint for promoting global value chain development and cooperation and a new APEC Accord on Innovative Development, Economic Reform and Growth will be reviewed by Leaders. Attention will be on unlocking new growth drivers and stepping up efforts to address shared challenges such as urbanization, epidemics, food security, natural disasters and the effects climate change to ensure the well-being of the region’s people and economies. 

“We need to speed up efforts to upgrade infrastructure and build comprehensive connectivity,” President Xi continued in view of the increasing volume of people and goods flows around the Asia-Pacific that is weighing on existing infrastructure and capacity for long-term economic growth in the region. “Our cooperation should extend to wherever roads, railways, air routes and the internet take us.” 

“Connectivity is about connecting rules and regulations,” he added. “When coordination and cooperation are enhanced, and regulatory obstacles are reduced, logistics will become smoother and exchanges more convenient.” 

The first-ever, long-term APEC Connectivity Blueprint will be considered by Leaders, including additional focus on improving the movement of people across the region and attention to potential targets and timelines. 

“Some developing economies in the Asia-Pacific region now face difficulties,” observed President Xi. “We need to increase financial and technical support to developing members, give full rein to the strength of diversity among Asia-Pacific economies to draw on each other’s strength, better leverage the amplifying effects and achieve the common development.” 

President Xi announced that China will donate USD10 million to support APEC institutional capacity building and technical cooperation in various fields. 

“It meets the common interests of us all to foster an open economy in the Asia-Pacific featuring innovative development, interconnected growth and converging interests,” he concluded. “All the economies in the region need to work together to build an Asia-Pacific partnership of mutual trust, inclusiveness, cooperation and win-win progress. This will inject new energy into the economic development of both our region and the world.”

Viet Nam President Sang: APEC Moving Towards Free Trade Area of the Asia-Pacific

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Issued by the APEC Secretariat

Ha Noi, Viet Nam, 9 November 2014 – Greater integration between APEC economies is laying a path for the realization of their long-term goal of a Free Trade Area of the Asia-Pacific to boost job creation and sustained growth, said Viet Nam President Truong Tan Sang in an interview ahead of the 2014 APEC Economic Leaders’ Meeting that will coincide with the 25th anniversary of APEC’s founding. 

View the video interview

Read the transcript

“APEC economies have always kept pace with new trends and advanced economic cooperation and integration mechanisms,” said President Sang. “Through our efforts, we are moving towards the establishment of a Free Trade Area of the Asia-Pacific, as agreed by APEC Leaders in Ha Noi in 2006.” 

President Sang pointed to Viet Nam’s participation in Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership and Trans Pacific Partnership negotiations which the region’s Leaders identified as possible steps to a Free Trade Area of the Asia-Pacific, or FTAAP, when they met in Yokohama in 2010.  

APEC Ministers in Beijing on Saturday adopted a roadmap and launched a collective strategic study for achieving an eventual FTAAP. These measures will be reviewed by Leaders when they meet here on Monday and Tuesday. New technical capacity building measures to ensure the region’s diverse economies are equipped to successfully negotiate and implement larger, more complex free trade agreements will also be considered. 

“Developing economies will have an increasingly important role to play in the coming time,” President Sang noted, in reference to their participation in emerging regional undertakings. “The ASEAN-led mechanism, together with APEC, is a strong foundation toward a more democratic and equal architecture in the region.” 

President Sang explained that more open, integrated markets are essential to facilitating the exchange of goods, services and innovative ideas that drive growth while opening the door to new economic opportunities and higher living standards to more people across the Asia-Pacific.  

Regional integration initiatives are moving beyond the scope of “traditional trade” and increasing the need for cooperation to keep them on-track, he added. Improving information-sharing, transparency and conditions for the adoption of measures such as “good regulatory practices” that level the playing field for businesses will be among the elements in focus in Beijing. 

“The realization of APEC’s economic and commercial commitments have positioned member economies, including Viet Nam, to accelerate reform and adjustment to regulations and policies in compliance with international commitments,” Sang said. “As a result, the business and investment environment continues to improve.”

“I’m sure that the other Leaders will agree with me that all of us want to show a stronger commitment for strengthening connectivity, advancing regional economic integration and greater growth,” President Sang concluded. “The member economies also need to further promote innovative, sustainable and inclusive development. If all members could achieve all these goals, I believe APEC will embrace a brighter future.” 

The 22nd APEC Economic Leaders’ Meeting will take place on 10-11 November. It will overlap with day two of the APEC CEO Summit, organized by the private sector, on 10 November.  

APEC Leaders, Business Engage on Future of Regional Economy

KALYAN KUMAR MAHATA The true appellation of Apu. A Creative Commons license.

Issued by the APEC Secretariat

Beijing, China, 10 November 2014 – The Leaders of the 21 APEC member economies commenced their two-day gathering in Beijing on Monday, engaging with Asia-Pacific business executives who called for accelerated regional integration to promote sustained growth and recovery in the region while adapting to new business realities.

Leaders shared their views on promoting regional integration, innovative development and economic reform, and infrastructure investment and comprehensive connectivity - APEC';s 2014 priorities - during the APEC CEO Summit. 

Video of Leaders’ remarks are on the APEC website 

Members of the APEC Business Advisory Council (ABAC) presented their recommendations, reflecting private sector views from across the Asia-Pacific, during a separate informal dialogue with Leaders. The exchange set the stage for the 22nd APEC Economic Leaders’ Meeting at Yanqi Lake on Tuesday. 

“The business community is an important engine of economic development in the Asia-Pacific and the world,” said China’s President Xi Jinping in earlier remarks at the APEC CEO Summit. “As Asia-Pacific regional economic cooperation deepens and becomes more substantive, some of APEC’s cooperation initiatives are already yielding positive results, bringing real benefits to the region’s businesses.”

President Xi welcomed input based on the actual needs of the business community to build on this progress and identify a viable path for strengthening trade and investment, regional economic integration and long-term development in the region. 

“Tariffs in APEC economies are lower, the basic cost of a transaction has dropped and for a container for export, the processing cost in the region averages USD800 while in the rest of the world it’s more than USD 1,000,” said Frank Ning, Chair of Chinese grain conglomerate COFCO and ABAC in 2014. “All those things benefit business. We would very much like to see more.” 

“Among all APEC member economies, there are over 50 bilateral free trade agreements,” Ning explained. “We want to see more basic, broader coverage to really benefit trade and business which is why we are promoting the creation of a Free Trade Area of the Asia-Pacific or FTAAP.” 

Other recommendations include the cultivation of public-private partnerships and mobilizing long-term savings, based on the development of capital markets and effective regulatory frameworks, to increase investment required to bridge infrastructure gaps in the region and maximize the benefits of an FTAAP. 

The establishment of conditions that encourage innovation is also suggested as a way to reverse recent declines in productivity growth. Support for small, medium and micro-enterprises, a more active role for women in the economy and measures that address sustainability issues such as urbanization, food security, health and green growth are among the other recommendations put forward for consideration.

“The founding principle of APEC 25 years ago was to try to create an integrated regional economy which has worked well and guided growth in the region, Ning concluded. “Today, this principle is still relevant.” 

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For more:           

Program details for the APEC Economic Leaders’ Meeting on Tuesday, including specific event times and venues, can be viewed at this link.