Apec trade ministers urged to restart talks on tech tariff cuts
Trade bodies from around world seek to resume push for tariff cuts on more information and communications technology products
More than 80 industry groups from around the world have called on the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation trade ministers gathering in China this weekend to help restart stalled talks on expanding tariff cuts on information and communications technology products.
China, which is hosting key Apec meetings, seminars and workshops this year, will be presiding over the two-day meeting of ministers responsible for trade, starting on Saturday in Qingdao, Shandong province.
In a joint statement released on Tuesday in the United States, the industry associations urged the trade ministers "to take active steps to restart the tariff-elimination negotiations" for an expanded Information Technology Agreement.
Specifically, the groups called on the "Apec economies participating in the negotiations to exercise strong leadership, embrace the long-term benefits of ITA expansion, and limit product sensitivities so an ambitious outcome can be achieved as soon as possible".
ITA expansion would be good for China in terms of growth and innovation
They pointed out that Apec "has deep ties with ITA. The Apec ministers meeting in Singapore in 1995 played a critical role in helping to launch the ITA".
The groups included the American Chamber of Commerce, the Consumer Electronics Association, DigitalEurope, the Semiconductor Industry Association, the Japan Electrical Manufacturers' Association, the Taipei Computer Association and the Hong Kong Information Technology Federation.