- Rt Hon Christopher Luxon
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon departs for Peru this week to attend the annual APEC Economic Leaders' Meeting from 15-16 November.
"The APEC Summit is a key moment in the regional calendar. It's an opportunity to meet with counterparts who are also grappling with cost-of-living challenges and choices about driving more productive economies. It provides an opportunity to discuss regional economic policy, as well as some of the global challenges we are all navigating," Mr Luxon says.
"For a country like New Zealand, where one in four Kiwi jobs depend on trade, and more than three quarters of our exports are destined for APEC economies, removing economic barriers in the Asia-Pacific is critical to our national interests."
The APEC region is home to around 40 per cent of the world's population and represents more than 60 per cent of world GDP. New Zealand exported $74.2 billion in goods and services to APEC economies in the year to June 2024.
"APEC is also an opportunity to meet bilaterally with other Leaders. While in Peru, I'll meet with the leaders of some of the world's largest economies to advance our interests with them."
Minister of Foreign Affairs Winston Peters and Minister for Trade Todd McClay will also travel to Peru for the APEC Ministerial Meeting from November 13-14. Mr Luxon will return on November 18.
Editor's note:
- APEC (Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation) is the premier regional forum for trade and economic issues in the Asia-Pacific, bringing together all the major players in the region.
- APEC's 21 member economies are Australia; Brunei Darussalam; Canada; Chile; People's Republic of China; Hong Kong, China; Indonesia; Japan; Republic of Korea; Malaysia; Mexico; New Zealand; Papua New Guinea; Peru; The Philippines; The Russian Federation; Singapore; Chinese Taipei; Thailand; United States of America; and Viet Nam.
