BALI, Oct 8 – Thailand has proposed the application of people-oriented principles in developing the Asia-Pacific community and adopting duty-free, quota-free incentives for least developed countries in the region.
Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra made the proposals at the 21st Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Summit in Bali, Indonesia yesterday.
She said APEC should not concentrate merely on trade and investment but should give more emphasis to sustainable development.
Yesterday’s forum was centred on the theme of “Resilient Asia-Pacific, Engine of Global Growth” which included three major issues – attaining the Bogor goals leading to free trade for developed countries in 2010 and developing countries in 2020, sustainable growth with equity and promoting connectivity.
She said APEC has successfully pushed forward the Bogor goals in the last two decades, contributing to economic strength, growth and cooperation in the region and leading to bilateral and multilateral trade agreements among member countries.
However, trade and investment alone would be insufficient for sustainable economic growth and APEC members should give more emphasis to people-centred development, she said.
She said the proposal should be added into APEC’s development projection to lead to harmony among trade, investment and economic growth process and progress on employment, people’s well-being and empowerment of the people and community.
APEC members will today discuss “APEC’s Vision of Connectivity in Evolving Regional and International Architecture.”
The APEC Summit ends today.
