U.S. Chamber of Commerce members gathered with those from two additional councils recently to release a collaborative statement pertaining to Asian trade matters — expressing optimism and calling for continued global cooperation.
The US-ASEAN Business Council Inc. and National Center for APEC joined the U.S. Chamber to issue a message upholding the importance of the Asia-Pacific region to the global economy. The initiative coincided with the advent of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Leaders’ Week, hosted in Da Nang, Vietnam from Nov. 5-11.
“The Asia-Pacific is a strategically important region to the United States for both national security and economic reasons,” the three organizations said. “It remains the world’s most dynamic and important region economically … Notably, the top four export markets for American made goods and services are in APEC. [Its] size, strong economic growth, and growing consumer base make it a priority for U.S. international economic policy to support American exporters.”
Conveying encouragement based on President Donald Trump’s recent journey to Asia, the group reaffirmed the nation’s dedication to the region and articulated that his trip complements earlier ones undertaken by envoys including Vice President Mike Pence and several high-ranking cabinet officials.
“APEC is more important than ever,” the statement read in part, affirming that APEC can help to keep communication lines open while supporting American businesses. “Going forward, we urge the United States to use APEC creatively and ambitiously to address real issues and barriers facing U.S. companies in this region,” the signatories concluded, citing the pact as a potential platform for establishing standards as the digital economy moves forward.
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