New Zealand trade minister to seek progress on FTAAP at APEC

New Zealand Trade Minister Todd McClay will be seeking to build the country's trade links in South America after meeting APEC (Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation) counterparts in Peru next week.

McClay said Friday the annual APEC meeting of Ministers Responsible for Trade on May 17 and 18 was an opportunity to press New Zealand's trade policy.

APEC trade ministers would be focusing on Peru's themes of "Quality of Growth and Human Development" with a particular focus on small and medium enterprises, trade in services, and advancing the collective vision of the Free Trade Area of the Asia Pacific (FTAAP).

"APEC provides the platform to meet and progress economic and trade issues with some of our most important trading partners," McClay said in a statement.

"New Zealand exports over 36 billion NZ dollars (24.5 billion U.S. dollars) worth of goods and 11 billion NZ dollars (7.48 billion U.S. dollars) worth of services to APEC members every year."

McClay would travel on to Bogota, Columbia, to meet with incoming Columbian Trade Minister Maria Claudia Lacouture to discuss the growing bilateral relationship and the major potential there for New Zealand businesses.

"New Zealand's relationship with Colombia has significant promise, with increasing trade links, particularly in the agribusiness sector, and almost 900 Colombian students enrolled at New Zealand educational institutions last year," said McClay. Endit