Auto industry at center of Apec officials meet

Senior Officials of the Apec member economies pose for a formal picture during the Apec Automotive Dialogue at the Dusit Thani Hotel in Makati City. NESTOR CORRALES/INQUIRER.net

Seniors Officials of the Association of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (Apec) member economies met on Wednesday to discuss strategies and innovations on improving the state of the automotive industry in the region.

The 22nd Apec Automotive Dialogue attended by more than 100 participants was formally opened at the Dusit Thani Hotel in Makati.

Trade Assistant Secretary Ceferino Rodolfo, keynote speaker during the event, highlighted the importance of the Asia-Pacific region in the automotive sector.

Rodolfo cited the importance of the integration of small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in the “Automotive Global Value Chains.”

This means Apec member economies are “encouraged to move toward more integrated regional and global approaches to automotive policies.”

Rodolfo said the automotive dialogue was an avenue for Apec member economies to formulate strategies and integrate development to the automotive industry in the region.

The Apec Automotive Dialogue, which the Philippines last hosted in April 22, 2005, will last until April 24.

The dialogue is part of the series of dialogues among senior officials of Apec before the 23rd Apec Economic Leaders’ Meeting in the country this November.

Apec has 21 member economies, namely Australia, Brunei Darussalam, Canada, Chile, People’s Republic of China, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Japan, Republic of South Korea, Malaysia, Mexico, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, Peru, Republic of the Philippines, Russia, Singapore, Chinese Taipei (Taiwan), Thailand, the United States, and Vietnam.