During 19-20 November 2016, Air Chief Marshal Prajin Juntong, Deputy Prime Minister attended the 24^th APEC Economic Leaders’ Meeting (24^th AELM) held in Lima, Republic of Peru.  

The meeting reaffirms Thailand’s role as a founding member of APEC. Similar to the ASEAN and OECD, APEC is considered as an external cooperation mechanism that strengthens Thailand’s capacity and reform.

At the meeting, APEC Leaders endorsed the 2016 AELM Declaration, which is accompanied by two annexes namely (1) Lima Declaration on Free Trade Area of the Asia-Pacific (FTAAP) and (2) APEC Services Competitiveness Roadmap (2016-2025). The APEC leaders focused their attentions mainly on two issues, namely-

1) Regional Integration and Liberalisation. APEC Leaders discussed the challenges facing free trade and investment, and agreed to drive forward the Free Trade Area of the Asia-Pacific (FTAAP) and services liberalisation. In order to respond to the recent trends in global protectionism, emphasis was placed on more effective communication of the benefits of trade and investment liberalization and into making them more inclusive.

2)  Quality Growth related issues including promoting the engagement of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) in international and domestic commerce, enhancing food security and climate change adaptation, and strengthening connectivity in all dimensions.

On this occasion, the Deputy Prime Minister reaffirmed Thailand’s commitment to the aforementioned APEC priorities especially FTAAP, the creation of inclusive trading system based on the efficient use of existing FTAs, trade in services, and the development of capacity building programmes in the new areas. Additionally, he pledged Thailand’s readiness in playing leading role in the support of Green and Sustainable MSMEs, Food Security and Sustainable Agriculture and. Digital Connectivity as well as in supporting the work of APEC beyond 2020 as it places a more equivalent emphasis on both trade and investment and developmental issues

During the visit to Peru, the Deputy Prime Minister also participated in the following parallel activities-

1) ABAC Dialogue with Leaders, where he discussed economic integration and the digital economy for society.

2) The 2^nd Informal Dialogue with the Pacific Alliance (PA). Thailand, as an ASEAN – PA Coordinator, proposed three areas of cooperation between APEC and the PA, namely SME/Start-up promotion, Education, and Science, Technology and Innovation (STI).

3) Informal Dialogue with Mr. Mark Zuckerberg, the CEO of Facebook, which focused on the role of Internet in improving connectivity, advocating education and enhancing the public services. The Deputy Prime Minister also had the opportunity to invite Mr. Zuckerberg to visit Thailand during February 2017.

4) Informal Conversation on the Global Economic Context with Ms. Christine Lagarde, the Managing Director of IMF, who urged APEC economies to commit to advancing domestic reform, promoting trade and investment, as well as avoiding trade barriers. During the session, the Deputy Prime Minister stated Thailand’s readiness to work with the IMF on the aforementioned issues.

5) The Deputy Prime Minister had a bilateral meeting with H.E. Mr. Peter O’Neill, Prime Minister of Papua New Guinea on increasing the volume of trade and investment, food production, energy and APEC 2018 in Papua New Guinea. The US-APEC Business Council also paid a call on the Deputy Prime Minister. The key discussion points involved trade and investment in Thailand including subjects such as the e-Payment system.

In 2017, the 25^th AELM and other APEC ministerial meetings will take place in Viet Nam, while Thailand will host the APEC meeting in 2022.