China to host APEC Ministerial Meetings in May

BEIJING - Annual Ministerial Meetings of Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) will be held in east China's Qingdao City in May.

Ministers Responsible for Trade Meetings are scheduled on May 17 and 18, in preparation for the Economic Leaders' Meeting with the theme of "Shaping the Future through Asia-Pacific Partnership", Wang Shouwen, Assistant Minister of Commerce, said on Wednesday.

The annual meetings will focus on regional economic integration, innovative development, reform and economic growth, as well as connectivity and infrastructure development.

The 22nd APEC Economic Leaders' Meeting will be held in Beijing in November, 13 years after China hosted the 9th APEC Economic Leaders' Meeting in Shanghai.

In 2013, trade between China and other APEC members amounted to 2.5 trillion U.S. dollars or 60 percent of the country's total trade volume; 69 percent of China's outbound direct investment went to APEC economies, which also provided 83 percent of foreign investment.

Established in 1989, APEC has played a significant role in driving global and regional economic growth. Its 21 members contributed approximately 57 percent of the world's GDP and 46 percent of world trade.