Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC)

April 2, 2026
Japanese
  • Framework for economic cooperation among 21 economies in the Asia-Pacific region (The first Ministerial Meeting was held in 1989, and the first Economic Leaders’ Meeting was held in 1993. The 2026 chair is China).
  • Deepens regional economic integration through liberalization and facilitation of trade, investment, and enhancing economic and technical cooperation for the sustainable growth and prosperity of the Asia-Pacific region. APEC operates based on voluntary, non-binding and consensus-based cooperation.
  • Closely collaborates with the APEC Business Advisory Council (ABAC), with Keidanren serving as the Japanese secretariat. ABAC submits annual policy recommendations to the leaders. Introduced the APEC Business Travel Card (ABTC) in 1997.
  • The region represented by APEC members garners significant attention as the world's growth center, accounting for approximately 40% of the global population, 50% of global trade volume, and 60% of global GDP. APEC is one of the most important frameworks in the Asia-Pacific region.
(21 member economies)
Australia; Brunei; Canada; Chile; China; Hong Kong, China; Indonesia; Japan; Korea; Malaysia; Mexico; New Zealand; Papua New Guinea; Peru; Philippines; Russia; Singapore (APEC Secretariat Headquarters); Chinese Taipei; Thailand; United States; Viet Nam

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