Briefing paper on APEC 2009 Summit

18 of APEC’s 21 Members have broken their pledge not to implement protectionist measures in the wake of the financial crisis
• Trade has rebounded in spite and not because of this protectionism
• APEC’s economies are still vulnerable to the potential impact of decreased demand from the United States and the potential for an abrupt end to growth in China
• The Singapore APEC summit must pave the way for sincere pledges to abolish protectionist policies and promote open trade throughout
the Pacific Rim and throughout the rest of the world
• APEC can still play a leading role in facilitating trade liberalisation if it sticks to its core competency
• Trade and investment liberalisation has driven economic development and diversification in the APEC region and helped over 500m people lift themselves out of poverty