VOI - Voice of Indonesia | RRI - Radio Republik Indonesia

Senior officials of Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) have agreed to carry forward Chile’s priorities for APEC in 2019, according to a press release issued by the APEC Secretariat received in Jakarta, Monday.

Chile will host APEC themed "Connecting People, Building the Future" in 2019 to offer inspiration for APEC 2019. Chile is one of the most open countries in the world and has free trade agreements that connect and link it with over two-thirds of the world`s population and with more than four-fifths of the global gross domestic product.

"We are committed to a new vision for APEC, one where we achieve full integration and where sectors that have lagged behind can benefit from integration, such as small- and medium-sized businesses and women," President of Chile Sebastian Pinera stated at the launch of APEC 2019.

In his remarks to APEC Senior Officials, President Pinera described Chile`s vision to defend and promote an open economy and free trade within APEC and around the entire world and its opposition to any type of protectionism and all forms of unfair competition.

He said the region`s main risk is obsolescence due to the speed of change.

"During these times of revolution, technological change, and information and knowledge societies, we must have the ability to join in APEC`s great project to create a large free trade zone among the 21 economies that make up this forum," President Pinera remarked.

"An efficient and modern international trade organization is needed, one with clear and transparent rules; one that will prevent us from veering off on the detours that tend to happen in the areas of integration and free trade," he added.

Moreover, President Pinera announced Chile`s priorities for APEC 2019, specifically being that APEC will prioritize taking control of the technological revolution; moving towards integration 4.0 by having in place uniform procedures and regulations to ease trade; aiming for inclusive growth where everyone benefits from integration and progress, in particular, women as well as small and medium enterprises; and taking charge to tackle one of the greatest problems facing humanity today, such as climate change and global warming.

In response to consultations with APEC member economies and civil society, Chile is paying attention to diversity while simultaneously focusing on shared principles and values.

"Hosting APEC provides us an opportunity to demonstrate our commitment to multilateralism, an open economy, free trade, the free movement of investment, and the free movement of resources, and to turn them into basic tools for achieving our goal of comprehensive, inclusive, and sustainable development," President Pinera added. (ANTARA)