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Geopolitical tensions risk distracting Asia-Pacific from efforts dealing with climate change and trade
16 November 2022 (Bangkok) – According to the Pacific Economic Cooperation Council’s annual poll of regional opinion-leaders, inflation, global fragmentation, climate change, and rising protectionism and slowing economic growth, were key concerns facing the Asia-Pacific as regional leaders gather in Bangkok for the annual Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Leaders’ Meeting. The Council’s annual report was released today on the sidelines of APEC meetings taking place in Bangkok this week. More...

Vaccinations key to Asia Pacific economic recovery, but inequitable distribution, climate change and inflation may derail growth
8 November 2021 (Wellington) – While the economy of Asia Pacific has declined significantly in the year and a half since the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic, it is now set for a sharp recovery thanks to unprecedented policy support and the accelerated distribution and adoption of vaccinations, according to a new report by the Pacific Economic Cooperation Council (PECC). More...

Logistics, Regulatory Challenges for COVID-19 Vaccine Distribution
19 November 2020 (Singapore) – The Pacific Economic Cooperation Council (PECC) today emphasised the need for greater regional cooperation to identify chokepoints in the distribution of Covid-19 vaccines. Analysis in PECC's latest State of the Region report, released this week, has found that the distribution of the various vaccines once they are approved is going to require not only enormous transportation resources but vast policy coordination. More...

Economic recovery in 2021 possible but requires commitment to greater Regional Cooperation
17 November 2020 (Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia) – Despite significant challenges this year, a global economic cooperation to contain the Covid-19 pandemic, according to a new report by the Pacific Economic Council (PECC). The fifteenth annual State of the Region for 2020-2021 was released today, ahead of an Economic Leaders' Meeting to be hosted by the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) this week. More...

Asia-Pacific growth sours with no respite from global trade war in 2019
13 December 2019 (Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia) – A global trade war and rising protectionism has taken its toll on Asia-Pacific economic growth, according to a new report by the Pacific Economic Cooperation Council (PECC). The fourteenth annual State of the Region report for 2019-2020 by the PECC was released today in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, which will also host the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Leaders’ Meeting in 2020. More...

Global trade war greatest threat to Asia-Pacific growth: PECC survey
14 November 2018 (Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea) – Asia-Pacific economic growth is significantly threatened by a global trade war and increasing protectionism, according to a new report by the Pacific Economic Cooperation Council (PECC). The thirteenth annual State of the Region report for 2018-19 from the PECC was released today as international political and business leaders convened for the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Leaders’ Meeting in Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea. More...

Upskill and change regulatory mindset for the digital economy
7 November 2017 (Da Nang, Viet Nam) – APEC members need to focus on building trust among our policymakers and regulators, understanding the unique circumstances in each of our respective economies to arrive at standards and norms that facilitate growth, innovation and job creation. This process needs to put front and center the impact that such rules have on micro and small and medium enterprises. New technologies are revolutionizing business models and the way in which businesses and consumers interact – from ride sharing services to mobile banking. This offers the opportunity to shape a new phase of growth – one that enables even micro and small and medium size enterprises to engage in global trade. More...

Rising protectionism, the top risk to growth: PECC survey
7 November 2017 (Da Nang, Viet Nam) – Increasing protectionism was seen as the top risk to growth of the Asia-Pacific region according to the PECC annual survey of opinion leaders released today as 21 economies gather in Da Nang this week for the APEC summit. Lack of political leadership and slowdown in the Chinese economy were second and third risks to growth. “Against the backdrop of concerns over rising protectionism, arguments for regional economic integration efforts and emphasis on pathways to achieving the Free Trade Area of the Asia-Pacific (FTAAP) and support for the multilateral trading system become even more pertinent. They provide stability, certainty, and a sense of forward momentum,” said PECC Co-chair Don Campbell. More...

Open trade can work if supported by the public with social inclusion
16 May 2017 (Hanoi) – What are the key challenges and opportunities for the future of the Asia-Pacific partnership? Are current processes sufficient for dealing with the reality of deeper trade and integration in the region? What role should the region be playing in global leadership now and beyond 2020? How can the next phase of growth be made more inclusive, sustainable and innovative, taking into consideration digital revolution? These were some of the issues deliberated at the 24th PECC General Meeting held here yesterday. More...

Protectionism is not the answer, make globalization work
13 February 2017 (Singapore) – Globalization has enabled hundreds of millions of people in the Asia-Pacific region to be lifted out of poverty. While the benefits of globalization may not have been distributed evenly, “we should not make globalization the scapegoat for slowing growth and unemployment,” said Minister for Trade of Singapore, Lim Hng Kiang. Instead of turning inward and closing borders, it is imperative that the region’s economies focus on ensuring that the growth we achieve is inclusive through “domestic policies that will enable benefits and growth to trickle down to all levels, including through equipping our workers with the skills required to adapt to new challenges,” he added. Minister Lim was speaking as keynote at the annual PECC Singapore conference co-organized this year by the Singaporean and Vietnamese committees of PECC (SINCPEC and VNCPEC). More...

Slowing Trade and Rising Anti-Globalization Sentiments Risks for Asia-Pacific
16 November 2016 (Lima, Peru) – Slowing global trade and rising protectionism are key risks to the continued growth of the Asia-Pacific region as regional leaders gather in Lima for the annual APEC summit. The continued slowdown in global trade and increasing protectionism were the second and sixth highest risks to economic growth according to the poll of 743 regional opinion leaders.

PECC urges to find synergy among connectivity initiatives
28 September 2016 (Yangzhou, China) – Some 150 thought leaders from the Asia-Pacific region’s research and policy communities gathered in Yangzhou, China yesterday for an international symposium with the objective of discussing how the regional integration efforts must go on by converging the physical, institutional, and people-to-people connectivities. In order for the three main pillars of connectivity to work “seamlessly” and efficiently, transparent and inclusive information-sharing is also key, helped by digital technologies and online platforms. More...

Regional Solutions Needed for Global Challenges
26 April 2016 (Jakarta, Indonesia) – Indonesia’s Minister of Trade, Mr. Thomas Lembong stressed the importance of public process and communications to explain the benefits of trade to “men and women on the street” in very simple terms without which there will not be public support for regional economic integration.  He was speaking at the concluding panel discussion on the opportunities and challenges for regionalism in view of AEC, RCEP, and the TPP during a conference co-organized by the Pacific Economic Cooperation Council (PECC) and the Jakarta Post on 25th April. More...

Tianjin Held Its 12th PECC International Trade and Investment Fair & the 6th Forum on Chinese Enterprises Going Global Strategy
15 April 2016 (Tianjin, China) - Under the joint sponsorship of Ministry of Commerce of China, Tianjin Municipal Government, and China National Committee for Pacific Economic Cooperation (CNCPEC), the 12th PECC International Trade and Investment Fair & the 6th Forum on Chinese Enterprises Going Global Strategy was held in Tianjin, China from the 14th to 15th of April 2016. Amb. Tang Guoqiang, Co-Chair of PECC and Chair of CNCPEC, and Mr. Zhao Haishan, Vice Mayor of Tianjin City, attended the opening event and made keynote addresses. More...

 

16 November 2015 (Manila, Philippines) - When Asia-Pacific Leaders gather in Manila for the annual summit, they should focus their discussions on ways to ensure that more people are part of the growth of the region, says the Pacific Economic Cooperation Council’s annual State of the Region report that was released today. According to the report the region will grow at 3.2 percent this year, the slowest rate since the Global Financial Crisis of 2008-2009. More... 
 
Achieving Resilient and Inclusive Growth
12 September 2015 (Manila, Philippines) – The Asia-Pacific is undergoing a structural transformation with uncertainty prevailing in key markets, the region must find new engines of growth by harnessing business opportunities enabled by digital revolution, rise of middle class, increased social mobility and global value chains. Realizing the potential of these new trends requires the participation of all sectors of the community. 
 
Addressing the audience at the 23rd PECC General Meeting, President of the Philippines H.E. Benigno S. Aquino III said, “The Pacific Economic Cooperation Council (PECC) is an excellent example of a belief I always have held: The challenges of a country, or even of the world, are not for a mere few to solve. Each one of us must do his part. Standing here today, in front of an audience composed of representatives from business, the academe, governance, and other sectors, I see that belief realized. Since 1980, the PECC has contributed so much, not only in crafting policy, but also in shaping a more stable and more prosperous Asia Pacific. Indeed: By working together, we will find it much easier to solve our collective challenges. Foremost among these is how to achieve balanced, sustained, and inclusive growth.” More...

22 May 2015 (Boracay, Philippines) - Regional trade ministers gathering in Boracay for APEC should make improving the access of small companies to compete in global markets a top priority. In a survey conducted by the Pacific Economic Cooperation Council (PECC), 52 percent of respondents rated the facilitation of small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in global value chains as a top 5 priority for APEC, followed by the achievements of the Bogor Goals and the Free Trade Area of the Asia-Pacific (FTAAP); services sector reforms and liberalization; the design of trade policy in response to global value chains; and how economies can move to upgrade their participation in global value chains. More...
 
20 May 2015 (Boracay, Philippines) - The Internet economy is increasingly important in providing jobs and opportunities across the Asia-Pacific region according to a symposium held on Monday with policy experts, entrepreneurs and government officials as part of the APEC meetings held in the Philippines. E-commerce, for example, was worth US$1.2 trillion in 2013, growing at a rate of around 20 percent every year. “Connectivity, through the Internet economy, will help bring SMEs to market, improve education and health services delivery, link small farmers to large markets, and change the way we design, create, and consume products and services, among others. No business sector or segment of society will be untouched by the power and potential of connectivity,’ said Ambassador Laura Del Rosario, APEC SOM Chair 2015. More...
 
3 March 2015 (Singapore) – Overall growth rate has slowed in the Asia-Pacific region but there is still good potential for growth, said Dr. Narongchai Akrasanee, Minister of Energy of Thailand and Chair of Thai committee for PECC. “Innovations in technology and digitalization, rise of the middle class in the region are significant drivers of growth. These changes will continue at lightning speed with or without policy catching up to these developments,” he added. More...

7 November 2014 (Beijing, China) – Progress towards a Free Trade Area of the Asia-Pacific (FTAAP) should be at the very top of the discussion agenda for APEC Leaders when they meet in Beijing for their summit, according to the Pacific Economic Cooperation Council’s (PECC’s) annual survey of the Asia-Pacific policy community. More...
 
7 November 2014 (Beijing, China) – According to State of the Region report released today by the Pacific Economic Cooperation Council (PECC), one of APEC’s official observers, the region needs to undertake significant reforms over the coming months and years to maintain its strong growth. PECC’s annual survey of the regional policy community identified technological innovation; policy reform; trade (to both emerging and advanced economies); and investment in infrastructure as the future drivers of growth over the next 5-10 years. These engines are needed to replace the region’s reliance on exports as the primary engine of growth. More...
 
7 November 2014 (Beijing, China) – According to the Pacific Economic Cooperation Council (PECC)’s 2014 survey of the policy community, 61 percent of respondents thought that the organization was just as, if not more, important today than it was when it was launched. However, this has not always been the case. “When we first started doing the survey we were struck by the ambivalence of the policy community towards APEC,” said Mr. Eduardo Pedrosa, Secretary General of PECC. In 2007, just as many respondents agreed as those who disagreed with the proposition that APEC was still as important as it was when it was founded. More...
 
11 September 2014 (Beijing, China) – The Asia-Pacific economy is entering a new phase of growth. The region’s economies are now seen to be normalizing and are eager to get back on track to a higher trajectory of growth through structural reforms and deeper regional economic integration. However, regional economies face challenges including increased income inequality, bottlenecks in infrastructure, ageing populations, and climate change. More...
 
11 September 2014 (Beijing, China) – One of the most pressing issues for China to tackle amidst its development is coping with various environmental concerns particularly heightened by rapid urbanization. With close to 1 percent of total Chinese population - or 13 million – migrating from rural areas to urban centers each year mostly in search of better income opportunities, there is an urgent need for Chinese policy makers to address these challenges. More...
 
11 February 2014 (Singapore) – The global economy and in particular the advanced economies are recovering from the impact of global financial crisis in spite of the turbulence currently rocking in emerging markets. This ‘new normal’ as it emerges will be characterized by different patterns of growth especially in the US, China, and Japan. These developments will have direct impact on the rest of the region. Structural policy adjustments are urgently needed to make the best out of the given circumstances. Infrastructure development enabled by sustainable funding mechanism and improved physical connectivity are indispensable to ensure that the benefits of trade liberalization and regional integration be inclusive, equitable, and sustainable. More...

19 November 2013 (Singapore) – With the US and Japanese economies now showing more positive signs, concerns of slowdown are now shifting from developed to emerging economies including China and India, according to the State of the Region report (www.pecc.org/research/state-of-the-region) which contains results from a survey of 560 opinion-leaders from around the region. More...
 
Friday, October 4, 2013 (Bali, Indonesia) - The US government shutdown and the political stalemate over the deficit and budget could undermine US economic growth and pose a risk to the growth of the Asia-Pacific region at a time when recovery from the global crisis remains shaky. In the annual State of the Region report released yesterday by the Pacific Economic Cooperation Council (PECC), the failure to come up with a package of economic and budget measures in the US was rated as the fifth highest risk to growth by 560 regional opinion-leaders. “While the survey was conducted almost two months ago, with the government shutdown, if the survey were conducted today, it would likely rank even higher,” said PECC Secretary-General Eduardo Pedrosa, coordinator of the Report. “At this time of economic volatility throughout the world, if these domestic political problems continue for much longer they have potentially far-reaching consequences beyond the US, as seen by our survey results.” More...
 
Friday, October 4, 2013 (Bali, Indonesia) - With the US and Japanese economies now showing more positive signs, concerns of slowdown are now shifting from developed to emerging economies including China and India. According to the State of the Region report, which contains results from a survey of 560 regional opinion-leaders, visible slowdown in China is cited as a top risk to growth. Over 60 percent of the respondents expected weaker growth for Asia’s biggest economy over the next 12 months. On the other hand, positive sentiments about the US economy have visibly shifted from 30% last year to 60% this year, as well as for Japan, with 55.4% showing optimism compared with mere 19.9% according to last year’s survey. More...
 
Thursday, October 3, 2013 (Bali, Indonesia) - While the Asia-Pacific does not lack capital, the region needs platforms to raise funds for financing infrastructure projects, said government, business and academic leaders gathered in a seminar organized jointly by the Pacific Economic Cooperation Council (PECC) and the Boao Forum for Asia ahead of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Economic Leaders’ Meeting, starting here on 7 October. More...
 
Thursday, October 3, 2013 (Bali, Indonesia) - Strengthening regional connectivity – physical, institutional and people-to-people links – will ensure sustainable, balanced and inclusive growth in Asia-Pacific economies which are still recovering from the global crisis, said business, government, academic and media leaders in a seminar jointly organized by the Pacific Economic Cooperation Council (PECC) and the Boao Forum for Asia. This is especially important at a time of uncertainty when economies are still recovering from the global crisis and must focus on the quality of growth and not just GDP figures, they stressed. More...

PECC renews commitment towards an open and integrated Asia-Pacific
Wednesday, June 5, 2013 (Vancouver, BC, Canada) – The Pacific Economic Cooperation Council issued its Statement today at the conclusion of the 21st General Meeting of PECC held in Vancouver during June 4-5, 2013. The Council’s Standing Committee has been reviewing the changes in the geopolitical and economic landscape noting the larger variety of regional cooperation processes and the implications this had for Track 2 engagement. More...

Thought-leaders of the Asia-Pacific identify key trends shaping the region
Tuesday, June 4, 2013 (Vancouver, BC, Canada) – Will slower economic growth continue in Asia over the next few years? How will this affect regional and global economy? What will be the impact of rapid urbanization in the Asia-Pacific economies, particularly to the expanding middle class populations? How will different tracks under development in pursuit of free trade shape regional economic relations and how will they affect the ways in which businesses do business? These are some of the key questions that were addressed at the opening day of the 21st General Meeting of PECC or Canada-Asia 2013, which attracted over 500 leading industry and policy experts from Asia, Oceania, North and South Americas to discuss Asia’s future and Canada’s strategy for engagement. More...

APF Canada Hosts Canada-Asia 2013 Conference in June Featuring Experts from North America and Asia
Tuesday, April 16, 2013 (Vancouver, BC, Canada) – The Asia Pacific Foundation of Canada (APF Canada) today announced that it will host Canada-Asia 2013 , a major conference with leading industry and policy experts from North America and Asia to discuss Asia’s future and Canada’s strategy for engagement. The conference takes place at the Waterfront Fairmont Hotel in Vancouver, BC from June 3-5, 2013. More...

APEC needs to move beyond Bogor goals
Tuesday, February 26, 2013 (Singapore) - The Asia-Pacific region continues to face an uncertain economic environment with major economies undertaking stimulus measures to bolster growth. This environment points to an urgent need for the region to find new engines for growth. These new engines should make ensure that people benefit from the integration process. More...

Economic Slowdown Takes Toll on Regional Integration
Wednesday, 5 September 2012 (Vladivostok) - The global economic slowdown continues to impact regional economic integration with the composite index showing a decline after having peaked in 2007. This is a reversal of the trend seen since 1990 of the region’s economies steadily showing more integration with each other. This is according to PECC annual report, State of the Region 2012-2013.

Compatibility in Asia-Pacific Trade Deals Key to Big Gains
Wednesday, 5 September 2012 (Vladivostok) - Against the background of a grim outlook in Europe, uncertainty in the US, and a slowdown in China, the Asia-Pacific needs to act on the new growth agenda adopted by APEC leaders in response to the crisis. One growth engine would be to accelerate progress on the region’s plan for creating a free trade area, which could boost global demand by US$2 trillion or 1.9 percent a year, according to a report released today by the Pacific Economic Cooperation Council (PECC).

PECC Elects Don Campbell as New Co-Chair
Monday, 30 April 2012 (Singapore) – At the Standing Committee meeting of the Pacific Economic Cooperation Council held in Singapore on Friday, Don Campbell, a Distinguished Fellow of the Asia Pacific Foundation of Canada and Senior Strategic Advisor for Davis LLP, has been unanimously elected Co-Chair of the Pacific Economic Cooperation Council (PECC).  He is also the Chair of Canadian National Committee for Pacific Economic Cooperation (CANCPEC). He assumes the position from Dr. Charles E. Morrison, President of the East-West Center, who has served last two terms (2005-2012) as PECC Co-Chair. Mr. Jusuf Wanandi, Member of the Board of the Trustees for the Centre for Strategic and International Studies of Indonesia, will serve another term as the other Co-Chair alongside Mr. Don Campbell. 

Regional Cooperation Taking a New Dimension
Thursday, 26 April 2012 (Singapore) – Opinion leaders of the Asia-Pacific region who gathered for the annual Singapore conference of the Pacific Economic Cooperation Council (PECC) think that the region would see continued sluggish growth in the next 12 months. This is largely due to the Euro zone expected to remain in recession for the time-being while domestic consumption also weakens in emerging economies. The speakers mainly representing policy think-tanks and government sectors from around the region voiced concerns with the projection of advanced economies moving beyond 100% debt versus GDP ratio by 2013. The region rebounded quickly in the aftermath of 1997-1998 financial crisis helped by strong export-led growth particularly seen in developing economies but it may not be the case this time. 

Services Trade Can Revitalize the Stalling Negotiations at the WTO
15 Dec 2011 (Singapore) - Despite the fact that the services sector accounts for 68 percent of value-add in the Asia-Pacific region, there is little known about the services sector and has been the neglected component of international trade. It also accounts for 61 percent of employment in the region, up from mere 27 percent when the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) was founded in 1989. While the services sector has come to dominate the modern economy, international trade in services lags behind and the exports of goods among the APEC member economies are five times larger than exports of services although both sectors have grown by almost 115 percent over the last decade. These are the key messages contained in the new publication being released by the Pacific Economic Cooperation Council (PECC) and the Asian Development Bank Institute (ADBI), Services Trade: Approaches for the 21st Century.

Prospect for Growth in Energy Trade from North America to East Asia
29 Sept 2011 (Washington D.C.) - Even though oil and gas is the most traded product in the Asia-Pacific region, there is virtually no energy trae across the Pacific. A new report released today in Washington D.C. by the Pacific Economic Cooperation Council (PECC) suggests that this anomaly could be corrected in the foreseeable future.

Asia-Pacific Opinion Leaders Gloomy on Economic Outlook
29 Sept 2011 (Washington D.C.) - Eighty percent of Asia-Pacific opinion-leaders believe the US and the European Union are headed for slower growth in the next 12 months. This finding is from an annual survey of senior policy-makers, executives, academics, and media from 22 Asia-Pacific economies conducted by the Pacific Economic Cooperation Council (PECC).

Focus on New Growth Strategies for Asia-Pacific Economies
30 June 2011 (Singapore) - Unemployment, high inflation, and income inequality continue to be key concerns for Asia-Pacific economies. Natural disasters have taken a catastrophic toll.  Although the Asia-Pacific region has managed to overcome the worst from the economic crisis of 2008-2009, the recovery has been patchy and the growth trajectory is far from assured. Experts from the Pacific Economic Cooperation Council, a regional think tank met in Singapore over two days to discuss challenges and approaches for growth in the region ahead of the APEC leaders’ meeting to be held in Honolulu in November.
3 June 2011 (Hong Kong) - Over 50 of the world’s leading economists have gathered in Hong Kong, China to share views on the challenges faced by the global and regional trading system and the importance of integrating global and regional services sector in boosting economic growth and efficiency. ‘Services Trade: New Approaches for the 21st Century’, is co-organized by the Asian Development Bank Institute (ADBI) and Pacific Economic Cooperation Council (PECC), co-hosted by the Economic Research Centre of the Hong Kong Institute of Asia-Pacific Studies (HKIAPS) and Institute of Global Economics and Finance at the Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK).

11 November 2010 (Yokohama)
 
10 November 2010 (Yokohama) - When the Leaders of the Asia Pacific region gather in Yokohama just a day after the G-20 Summit in Seoul, they face a delicate balancing act of continuing their ongoing agenda and responding to the urgent challenges facing the world.
 
10 November 2010 (Yokohama) - The Asia Pacific region has become more integrated, reaching a new high since 2000, according to annual composite index released by the Pacific Economic Cooperation Council (PECC).
 
22 October 2010 (Tokyo) - The 19th PECC General Meeting was held in Tokyo on 21-22 October involving over 300 participants from 22 economies, against the backdrop of increased tension over currency values. Participants said that this issue needed to be managed appropriately in order to increase business confidence in the economic environment and to maintain focus on the core G-20 and APEC agendas.
 
6 June 2010 (Sapporo)
 
4 March 2010 (Tokyo) – Experts gathered in Tokyo for a two-day (4-5 March 2010) workshop to discuss measures to strengthen social resilience in the Asia-Pacific region. The meeting was convened by the Japan Committee for Pacific Economic Cooperation and the opening remarks were delivered by Mr. Koichi Takemasa, the State Secretary for Foreign Affairs of Japan.
 

12 November 2009 (Singapore) - We thank APEC Ministers for this opportunity to update you on the views from our community on Asia-Pacific cooperation. The theme that APEC has selected this year of "Sustaining Growth, Connecting the Region" provides an excellent framework through which the many challenges facing the region can be met.
11 November 2009 (Singapore) - Public policies and programs are needed to reduce the impact of food prices on the population most vulnerable to those price spikes - the world's poor, according to a new report released by the Pacific Economic Cooperation Council (PECC) at the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Leaders' Summit in Singapore.
11 November 2009 (Singapore) - The Asia-Pacific region has become more integrated since APEC was founded, according to a new index released by the Pacific Economic Cooperation Council (PECC). The region as a whole as well as individual economies have become steadily more integrated with each other since 1990, except for a brief period between 2001 and 2003.
11 November 2009 (Singapore) - APEC leaders meeting in Singapore later this week have been sent a clear message from Asia-Pacific opinion-leaders: It is too soon to exit from the expansionary policies that were put in place over the last year in response to the global economic crisis. "Continued action on the economic crisis" was at the top of a list of suggested priorities for APEC, followed by "regulation of the financial sector", "restarting the Doha process", "climate change and the Copenhagen Deal", and "reducing the cost of doing business".
11 November 2009 (Singapore) - The global economy is showing signs of recovery, and the Asia-Pacific region is leading the way. However, "a full recovery is far from assured," said Prof Peter Petri (Brandeis University/ East West Center), the coordinator of a PECC task force on the economic crisis.
 
10 October 2009 (Singapore)  
 
10 October 2009 (Singapore) – The Asia-Pacific region needs to deepen and enhance cooperation to ensure that the economic recovery currently underway is sustained. Regional experts were gathered in Singapore for a conference co-organized by the Pacific Economic Cooperation Council (PECC), Singapore National Committee for PECC (SINCPEC), and facilitated by the Institute of Policy Studies (IPS).
 
9 October 2009 (Singapore) – Asia is leading the global recovery. With this good news, the policy makers are faced with new but difficult choices of not simply exiting from the rescue interventions but having to replace them with structural policies that promote growth through the recovery and beyond. They are less time-sensitive but more complex and tougher to implement politically. 

 
19 Nov 2008 (Lima, Peru) A survey of Asia-Pacific opinion-leaders released today shows overwhelming concern about the impact that the ongoing financial crisis is having on the region. The top three risks to growth in the Asia-Pacific cited by respondents were US recession, (83%), banking/financial sector crisis (78%) and a sharp fall in asset prices (69%).  
 
19 November 2008 (Lima, Peru) Economic integration in the Asia-Pacific has increased in the nearly 20 years since APEC’s formation in 1989, according to a new set of indicators developed by the Pacific Economic Cooperation Council (PECC). Using data from 17 member economies of APEC, the index provides a measure of economic integration for the region as a whole, as well as for individual economies.
 
19 Nov 2008 (Lima, Peru) The economies of the Asia-Pacific region will grow by only 1.2% next year, less than half the growth the region experienced in 2007 and 2008. This sharp decline in output growth will be led by the United States, which is expected to experience an economic contraction in 2009 of around 0.5 percent.
 
19 Nov 2008 (Lima, Peru) The impact of climate change in the Asia-Pacific will affect the developing economies of the region the most according to a new report released by the Pacific Economic Cooperation Council (PECC) on the sidelines of the APEC leaders’ summit in Lima.
30 May 2008 (Singapore) Inflation in the Asia Pacific is set to rise sharply this year in the face of increased oil and commodity prices. Headline consumer prices will increase this year by 3.6% compared with a 2.7% increase in 2007. The aggregate numbers mask much sharper price spikes in certain Asian economies.  China, for example, will see an increase in the CPI of about 6.0% for 2008 as a whole, with year-on-year increases in the second half of the year in excess of 8.0%.  In Indonesia, the consumer price index is expected to jump 11.7%.  For Southeast Asia, CPI inflation is set to almost double from 3.2% in 2007 to 6.2% in 2008.
 
5 February 2008 (Canberra, Australia) Rapid income growth and urbanization is having profound impacts on the food system in the developing member economies of the Pacific Economic Cooperation Council (PECC), creating opportunities to enhance farm-sector profitability and encourage vibrant rural areas.  To achieve that potential, private and public decision makers must work to streamline and modernize the food system, embracing new approaches to link rural areas with expanding urban markets, according to PECC’s 2007-2008 Pacific Food System Outlook (PFSO) report.
 

 
13 December 2007 (Singapore) The Asia Pacific region will experience slower economic growth in 2008, but is likely to avoid a sharp downturn due to the sub-prime mortgage crisis in the United States, according to the Pacific Economic Cooperation Council’s annual State of the Region Report.
 
5 September 2007 (Sydney, Australia) Opinion-leaders in the Asia Pacific expressed deep concerns about the lack of progress being made in WTO Doha Development Agenda negotiations and hoped that APEC leaders would make progress on this issue at their upcoming meeting in Sydney. 
 
6 July 2007 (Canberra, Australia)
 
18 April 2007 (Singapore) Economic growth in the Asia Pacific is set to slow in 2007 to a still healthy 4.3% across the region, compared to 5.0% in 2006 before a moderate rise in 2008 to 4.5%. East Asia will lead the way with growth at 5.7%, pulling up the rest of region, which is forecast to grow by only 2.6% this year.
 

 
13 November 2006 (Hong Kong, China) A recent report on the state of the Asia Pacific region predicts a modest economic slowdown and warns that APEC is at risk of becoming irrelevant.
 
16 June 2006 (Singapore) Pacific Rim economies have continued to show surprising robustness in the face of serious systemic risks to growth, says the June economic update from the Pacific Economic Cooperation Council. The impact of high oil prices and uncertainty over exchange rates has been muted thus far. Since their last forecast for 2006 in October 2005, PECC’s forecast panel has upgraded its view on real GDP growth for the region by more than half a percentage point from 4.5% to 5.0%.
 

 
14 November 2005 (Singapore) The growth of supermarkets—largely the result of private industry initiatives to satisfy consumer demands—presents significant economic opportunities and policy challenges for private- and public-sector decision makers in the region, according to the 2005-2006 Pacific Food System Outlook (PFSO) report issued today by the Pacific Economic Cooperation Council (PECC).
 
7 September 2005 (Seoul, Korea) - Persistent and growing imbalances in cross-Pacific trade and capital flows represent a critical threat to deeper economic integration and closer cooperation in the Asia Pacific region, according to the Pacific Economic Cooperation Council, which concluded its 16th General Meeting in Seoul on Wednesday.
 
6 September 2005 (Seoul, Korea) - Economies in the Pacific are ‘building for disaster’, Dr Allen Clark, told the Pacific Economic Cooperation Council’s 16th General Meeting today. Dr Clark is Director of the Pacific Disaster Centre (part of the East West Centre in Hawaii). Urban development tends to concentrate alongside the sea or rivers and lakes. These are the areas most vulnerable to natural disasters such as storms and floods, as well as earthquakes and their consequences.
 
15 June 2005 (Vancouver, Canada) The Pacific Economic Cooperation Council (PECC) today released the Pacific Economic Outlook (PEO) 2005-2006 report, an annual forecast of 18 economies in the Asia Pacific region.
 

 
18 November 2004 (Santiago, Chile) - Dr. Kim Kihwan, chair of the Pacific Economic Cooperation Council, an official observer of the APEC process delivered an update on PECC’s activities to APEC Ministers at their plenary session on 18 November in Santiago, Chile.
 
17 November 2004 (Santiago, Chile) - An adequate, well maintained transportation infrastructure—roads, railroads, waterways, airports and port facilities—will be an increasingly crucial element of the Pacific food system as it continues to address the challenges of rapid urbanization, according to a report issued today by the Pacific Economic Cooperation Council (PECC).
 

 
16 October 2003 (Bangkok, Thailand) - Demographic changes in the Asia-Pacific region over the next 20 years will generate powerful economic forces that will demand the close attention of food system policy-makers, according to a report issued today by the Pacific Economic Cooperation Council (PECC).
 
22 August 2003 (Bandar Seri Begawan, Brunei Darussalam) - The Pacific Economic Cooperation Council (PECC) meetings will take place in Brunei Darussalam from 1st to 3rd September 2003. In conjunction with this, the Brunei Economic Development Board (BEDB) and the BDCPEC are hosting a "PECC Roundtable on Economic Development in Brunei Darussalam."
 
03 July 2003 (Canberra, Australia) - Weighted average output in the Asia Pacific economies grew by 3.1 per cent in 2002, a significant increase over the 1.2 per cent in 2001.
 

23 October 2002 (Singapore) - Strong consumer confidence in the safety of the food supply is crucial to build and maintain an efficie nt food system in Asia Pacific whose leaders are gathering in Mexico this week. In a report issued today by the Pacific Economic Cooperation Council (PECC), a supporter of the APEC process, food industry economists call for governments and the private sector to work together to maintain comprehensive databases on food-borne illnesses, support research to prevent contamination, harmonize science -based standards and practices to limit illnesses, and sponsor consumer education to ensure safe handling of food.
21 October 2002 (Canberra, Australia) - Weighted average output in the Asia Pacific economies grew by 1.2 per cent in 2001.  The PEO Forecasters are expecting growth to accelerate to 2.8 per cent in 2002 and then to 3.8 per cent in 2003.  This is moderate growth for the region as a whole, possibly marking the beginnings of a new era of moderate growth.  Growth is expected to be well below the decade before the financial crisis for East Asia and well below the 1990s for the United States.
 
28 May 2002 (Canberra, Australia) - Weighted average output in the Asia Pacific economies grew by 1.2% in 2001. The PEO Forecasters are expecting growth to accelerate to 2.7% in 2002 and then to 3.8% in 2003. Growth rates are way below the range of recent experience.
 

 
7 June 2001 (Shanghai, China) - The Pacific Economic Cooperation Council (PECC) delivered its statement to the APEC Ministers Responsible For Trade today calling for APEC to be a catalyst for WTO by maintaining trade liberalization credibility with the private sector.
 

 
13 June 2000 (Canberra, Australia) - The Pacific Economic Cooperation Council released its annual forecasts in Beijing today. The Pacific Economic Outlook forecasts are made by a team of experts from the PECC economies. The forecasting panel expects weighted average Asia Pacific growth to be higher at 4.6 per cent in 2000 than 3.9 per cent in 1999, with acceleration in Japan and most developing economies.
 
20 May 2000 (Los Angeles, USA) - Senior executive leaders in telecommunications and Internet development from across the Asia Pacific region will address Ministers from the 21 APEC economies next week in Cancun, Mexico as part of the TelMin4 meeting.
 
 

 
30 June 1999 (Auckland, New Zealand) – PECC Chair Mr Roberto R Romulo stresses the importance of greater clarity and improvements to APEC’s individual action plans, if they are to serve as tools for business planning, in an official observers’ Statement to APEC Trade Ministers in Auckland today.
 
29 June 1999 (Auckland, New Zealand) – The worst of the Asian crisis appears to be over but the recovery process will be difficult and fraught with risks of increased protectionism and the potential slowdown of reforms.
 
16 April 1999 (Canberra, Australia) - The Standing Committee said they attached the highest importance to accession into the WTO of all PECC economies which are now in the process of acceding, namely, Russia, Chinese Taipei, Vietnam, and most especially China.  At this time, when many economies in Asia are undergoing deep and wide-ranging structural reforms, it is imperative that they get fully integrated into the rules-based trading system, charged with promoting and maintaining free and open trade and investments, under the auspices of the WTO.
14 April 1999 (Canberra, Australia) - A wide range of issues related to information technology (IT) development in the Asia Pacific region was discussed at a PECC seminar this morning. Among these: APEC and the Information Economy; Bridging the Technology Divide; Interconnection Policies; Role of Telecommunications Policies in Promoting Growth; and E-commerce Training for Small and Medium Enterprises.
 

 
15 November 1998 (Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia) - The Pacific Economic Cooperation Council (PECC), the only non-governmental organisation with official observer status in APEC, has urged APEC Leaders and Ministers to recognise the value of ongoing peer review of macroeconomic performance, in particular, the finance sectors of APEC economies.
 
14 November 1998 (Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia) - Until recently APEC has operated in prosperous economic times and relative political stability.  These times have given APEC members the benefit of being able to agree upon bold long-term goals without having to determine clearly their capacity to achieve them.
 
14 November 1998 (Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia) - For much of the past decade, the Asia Pacific was the largest growth market in the world for agricultural and food products. This decade of prosperity ended with the “Asian Meltdown” from mid 1997.
 
14 November 1998 (Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia) - A report released today by the US Committee of the Pacific Economic Cooperation Council (US-PECC) at the Kuala Lumpur meetings of the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) forum projected enormous benefits to the Chinese economy from liberalizing air cargo regimes.
 
11 November 1998 (Singapore) - The world economy is teetering on the brink of a generalized recession.  The economic situation in 1998 for the region has deteriorated badly and is downright dismal.
 
15 September 1998 (Kuantan, Malaysia) - In a meeting on 6-8 September, PECC built on its policy statement to APEC Trade Ministers in June, which called for a coherent response to the Asian economic crisis, to be led by APEC. 
9 September 1998 (Singapore) – Economic experts from the Asia-Pacific called on leaders of APEC to adopt immediate measures to bolster investor confidence and restore capital flows in the crisis-plagued economies in Asia.  These experts, from the Pacific Economic Cooperation Council (PECC), noted that there could be no economic recovery in Asia until these two issues are decisively addressed.
 
8 September 1998 (Taipei, Chinese Taipei) - Economic experts from the Asia-Pacific region attending a Pacific Economic Cooperation Council (PECC) conference on the regional crisis discussed the merits of capital controls, which was made topical by recent actions taken by Malaysia.
 
5 June 1998 (Singapore) - PECC Statement was delivered by PECC Chair Mr Roberto Romulo to the APEC Telecommunications and Information Industry Ministers at their meeting today, which laid out the principles that guide its work, and its comprehensive commitments to action to contribute to the APEC Tel process.

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