Experts looking at ways to promote Asia-Pacific regional trade

Mumbai: Experts from government, academia and the private sector in the Asia-Pacific region are meeting at the Chinese city of Kunming to identify ways of improving trade within the region.

The three-day meeting, convened by the UN Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (UNESCAP), is expected to focus on promoting trade facilitation, agriculture and innovation, a press release issued by the UN Information Center (UNIC) said.

The meeting will also look at devising policies to improve the efficiency of existing trade, including by simplifying the international transport of goods. Policies aimed at streamlining international transport and increasing the efficiency of existing trade relationships will also be examined.

Despite the booming trade and economic growth across much of the Asia-Pacific region in the last decade, trade barriers still exist in the region, UNESCAP said in a press release, adding there is room for Asian countries to strengthen their trade relationships.

UNESCAP, which has convened the meeting in collaboration with authorities in China ''s Yunnan province, also said that about 20 experts are expected to attend.

The expert group meeting on promoting trade between Asian sub regions will be held through 3 August and will focus on enhancing trade relationships between East, South and Southeast Asia.