Leaders prepare for APEC meeting

Linda Mottram, Karon Snowdon

Last Updated: Wed, 11 Nov 2009 12:11:00 +1100

Dignitaries from around the Asia Pacific region have gathered in Singapore to mark the 20th anniversary of the Australian initiated Asia Pacific Economic Co-operation (APEC) process.

Ahead of its 21st economic leaders meeting later this week, Trade and Foreign ministers will hold talks, amid doubts that trade liberalisation goals will be met by a deadline of next year for industrialised members.

A draft communique is believed to be ambiguous on the issue.

APEC leaders will also focus on climate change and what regional structures should look like in future.

Further discussions of Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd's ideas, and competing models aired by Japan are likely to be on the agenda.

US President Barack Obama, China's Premier Wen Jia Bao and a host of other economic leaders from the region are heading for Singapore for APEC's 21st gathering.

The APEC process has been criticised for being more talk than substance but supporters say APEC has helped make the region far more open than it was 20 years ago.

Business gathering

As Singapore prepares to host world leaders, 800 executives are holding their own summit alongside APEC.

The international business community has been a part of APEC since its inception.

Each country has three business members in an advisory group which spends quite a lot of time and money lobbying governments in the lead up to and during the APEC summit.

This year, business leaders at APEC want work to be begin on an Asia Pacific free trade agreement no later than next year.

They are also urging APEC to embrace better labour flows throughout the region.

A report commissioned by the executives, identifies acute labour shortages in future. It says some countries could be facing shortages of workers numbering in the millions.

One of Australia's delegates, Mark Johnson - Chairman of AGL Energy, Australia's largest gas and electricity distributor and Chairman of the Macquarie Infrastructure Group says says APEC must recognise that easier movement of skilled and unskilled workers is essential to economic growth.

"You're seeing imbalances emerging more acutely in countries such as Japan, where there's a need for skilled workers to come in. At the same time, countries like the Philippines have alot of their people working offshore and they're looking to provide appropriate conditions," he said.