自由貿易の推進で一致　コロナ禍の経済回復―ＡＰＥＣ

　日本や米国、中国など２１カ国・地域が参加するアジア太平洋経済協力会議（ＡＰＥＣ）は９日夜（日本時間）、オンライン形式で２日目の閣僚会議を開いた。新型コロナウイルス感染拡大で落ち込んだ経済の回復には自由貿易の推進が重要との認識で一致。共同声明を採択し、閉幕した。
　声明は「パンデミック（世界的流行）の影響緩和に貿易が果たす極めて重要な役割を強調」と明記。中国が加入を求めている環太平洋連携協定（ＴＰＰ）なども念頭に、「市場主導による地域経済統合を推し進める」とした。初日の討議に出席した萩生田光一経済産業相は、ＴＰＰの高水準な自由化ルールを緩めることなく「経済連携の維持・強化を進めることが重要だ」と強調した。（2021/11/10-01:01）

Ministers from the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation forum agreed on the importance of promoting free trade for reviving the economy that has been damaged by the COVID-19 pandemic.
   "We underline the vital role trade has played in mitigating the impacts of the pandemic," the APEC ministers said in a joint statement to wrap up their two-day online meeting through Tuesday.
   "We will advance economic integration in the region in a manner that is market driven," the statement noted, apparently referring to partnership frameworks such as the Trans-Pacific Partnership free trade agreement, which China has applied to join.
   The meeting brought together ministers and other officials from 21 countries and regions, including Japan, the United States and China.
   Japanese Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry Koichi Hagiuda, who took part in the meeting's first-day discussions, said that it is important to maintain and strengthen economic partnerships without loosening the high-level liberalization rules set by the TPP.