Asia-Pacific ministers on June 5 kicked off a two-day meeting in Japan’s northern city of Sapporo, Hokkaido province to discuss trade liberalisation in the region and measures to speed up regional economic integration.

Among the attending ministers is Vietnam ’s Minister of Industry and Trade Vu Huy Hoang. He is scheduled to have separate talks with his Russian, Chilean and Canadian counterparts on the sidelines of the meeting.

The talks are the year's first ministerial meeting of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) forum ahead of the 21-member organisation’s annual summit in Yokohama , southwest of Tokyo , in November.

During the two-day event, ministers will evaluate progress of member economies in the implementation of trade and investment liberalisation objectives in the region.

This year, delivering progress reports is compulsory for Australia , Canada , Japan , New Zealand and the US while it is optional for other economies including Chile , Hong Kong, the Republic of Korea , Malaysia , Mexico , Peru , Singapore and Taiwan .

Participants will also discuss measures of speeding up the Doha round of negotiation on global trade liberalisation and listen to the update report of World Trade Organisation General Director Pascal Lamy on latest developments of the Doha talks.

Japan ’s trade leaders said APEC minister will probably reiterate their commitments to quickly closing the Doha round of negotiation and their objection to any kind of protectionism.

They will also review APEC’s efforts in building a new strategy for economic development in the region to ensure a more balanced development and environmental protection. Japanese leaders reckon that the strategy needs to include a long-term action plan and a mechanism to evaluate achievements.

Japan ’s Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry Masayuki Naoshima told the press that Japan expects to announce the Yokohama Goal at the upcoming APEC Economic Leaders’ Meeting in November. The goal will likely to include future vision on economic cooperation and a strategic framework for economic growth in APEC./.