WT/L/923  
 
28 May 2014  
(14-3197)  Page: 1/2  
  Original: English  
 
 
 APEC MINISTERS RESPONSIBLE FOR TRADE (MRT) 
 
STATEMENT ON SUPPORTING MULTILATERAL TRADING SYSTEM 
 
Qingdao, China, 17 - 18 May 2014 
The following communication, dated 28 May 2014, is  being circulated at the request of the 
delegation of China on behalf of the APEC economies.  
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 1. We, the APEC Ministers responsible for trad e, gathering for our 20th meeting in Qingdao, 
China, recognize the importance of international trade as a key to job creation, sustained 
economic recovery, and balanced growth and develo pment. We reiterate the value, centrality and 
primacy of the multilateral trading system and reaffirm our commitment to strengthen a rules-
based, transparent, non-discriminatory, open and inclusive multilateral trading system as 
embodied in the WTO.   2. We share the view that, despite modest gl obal growth and a gradual recovery of world 
trade, instability and uncertainty in trade and ec onomic recovery still persist. We will remain 
vigilant against all forms of protectionism becaus e of their impact on weakening trade and slowing 
down recovery. To this end, we reaffirm the pl edge made by our Leaders against protectionism 
through a standstill which we recommend that they extend through the end of 2018 and rollback 
of protectionist and trade-distorting measures. We remain committed to exercise maximum restraint in implementing measures that may be considered to be consistent with WTO provisions 
but have a significant protectionist effect and to promptly rectify such measures, where 
implemented. In this context, we support the work of the WTO and other international 
organizations in monitoring protectionism, including the work of the standing WTO bodies which are on the frontline of our efforts. 
 
3. We highly commend the Bali Package achieved at the 9th Ministerial Conference (MC9) in Bali, Indonesia, with its deliverables on trade facilitation, agriculture and development, including 
LDC issues. The faithful implementation of this package will greatly benefit the global economy by 
increasing trade flows and investment; demonstrate that the WTO can play a vital role in creating global trade and economic opportunities; and attest to the strong resolve of WTO Members to 
complete the Doha Development Agenda (DDA). The entry into force of a revised WTO 
Government Procurement Agreement represents another indication that negotiations at the WTO can produce tangible, trade-expanding, and development-oriented outcomes. We believe WTO Members need to demonstrate political leadership and continue exploring different and fresh 
negotiating approaches in order to reinvigorate multilateral trade liberalization, building on and 
implementing the outcomes achieved in Bali.  We stand ready to make a significant contribution to 
these efforts and urge other WTO Members to act in the same spirit.  
 
4. We support the work of the WTO Preparatory Committee on Trade Facilitation. We will act vigorously to ensure the full achievement of the objectives and timelines set out in the Bali 
Ministerial Decision on Trade Facilitation Ag reement (TF Agreement). In this regard, APEC 
developing economies undertake to notify all provisions that have been implemented and as many provisions of the TF Agreement under Category A as possible. We remain committed to contribute 
to the adoption of the Protocol of Amendmen t by 31st of July 2014, and its acceptance by 
July 2015. We encourage other WTO Members to do the same. The implementation of the TF 
Agreement will further APEC efforts to achieve the Bogor Goals and improve connectivity. We call upon donor Members to provide developing Members with assistance and support for capacity WT/L/923 
 
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  building to implement the TF Agreement. We recognize that relevant international and regional 
organizations also provide assistance and support for capacity building and encourage developing 
Members to utilize efficiently these channels. We also support follow up on implementation of other Bali Package elements on agriculture and development, including LDC issues. 
 
5. We urge all WTO Members to sustain the st rong momentum of MC9 in preparing a clearly 
defined work program on the remaining DDA issues, and reaffirm our resolution to complete this 
work by December 2014. The Work Program will build on the decisions taken in Bali, particularly 
on agriculture, development and LDC issues, as well as all other issues under the Doha mandate that are central to concluding the DDA. Issues in the Bali Package where legally binding outcomes could not be achieved will be prioritized, and wo rk on issues in the Package that have not been 
fully addressed will be resumed.  The program will be developed in a way that is consistent with 
guidance provided at the 8th Ministerial Conference, including the need to look at ways that may allow Members to overcome the most critical and fundamental stumbling blocks. We support the 
six parameters proposed by WTO Director-General Mr Roberto Azevêdo for formulating the work 
program, namely development centrality; doability; interconnectivity and balance; creativity and open-mindedness; inclusiveness and transparency; and sense of urgency. We also believe that it is 
essential to continue to respect the Doha mandat e and its development dimension, taking note of 
the progress that has been made towards formulating the Work Programme.  6. We acknowledge that bilateral, regional and plurilateral trade agreements play an important 
role in complementing global liberalization initiatives. We will continue to work together to ensure 
that they should contribute to strengthening th e multilateral trading system. We underscore the 
importance of ITA expansion negotiations. We welcome that key participants have committed to 
find creative ways to move forward so that these negotiations can move towards a commercially 
significant and balanced conclusion in the shortest timeframe possible. We have taken a leading role in environmental goods trade and reaffirm  our commitment on the implementation of the 
APEC List of Environmental Goods by the end of 2015. We recognize that liberalizing trade in 
environmental goods can benefit our environment an d support economic growth in the region, and 
that our leaders have directed us to explore oppo rtunities in the WTO to build upon this ground-
breaking commitment. We regard the initiative launched in Davos by a number of APEC 
economies, among others, as a significant step towards building on this commitment.  
 7. We welcome the Bali Ministerial Decision on Aid for Trade adopted at the MC9 in Bali, 
Indonesia, where the continuing need for Aid for Tr ade was recognized. We will continue to pursue 
actions in support of this initiative, and welcome the new Aid for Trade Work Program.  
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