Seoul: Trade ministers from the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) convened on the resort island of Jeju, Republic of Korea, to address challenges impacting global trade. The meeting saw chief negotiators from major economies engaging in bilateral discussions with U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) Jamieson Greer.

According to Lao News Agency, the APEC Ministers Responsible for Trade (MRT) Meeting, held at the International Convention Center in southern Jeju, is themed “Building a Sustainable Tomorrow: Connect, Innovate, Prosper.” The event includes participation from top trade officials of the 21 APEC members, along with senior representatives from the World Trade Organization (WTO) and the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD).

The venue for the APEC ministers’ meeting was bustling with bilateral discussions as several APEC member countries, including Republic of Korea, Japan, and China, are negotiating with Washington over U.S. President Donald Trump’s tariff measures. Republic of Korean Trade Minister Cheong In-kyo met with the USTR on the sidelines of the MRT meeting to discuss trade issues and the progress of U.S. negotiations with other countries.

Cheong emphasized the importance of orderly negotiations with the United States and expressed the intent to maximize the outcomes of Greer’s visit. Although Republic of Korea has been proactive in trade talks with the U.S., an upcoming presidential election in June is affecting the pace of negotiations.

Earlier, Greer held talks with China’s top trade envoy, Li Chenggang, and a subsequent meeting with Republic of Korean Minister of Trade, Industry and Energy Ahn Duk-geun is scheduled for Friday. The discussions follow an agreement between the U.S. and Republic of Korea to develop a “package” deal on tariffs and economic cooperation by July.

Seoul has suggested enhancing bilateral cooperation in the shipbuilding and energy sectors to reduce U.S. tariffs on Korean goods. Cheong highlighted the role of APEC in addressing global trade uncertainties during his opening remarks and emphasized the importance of the MRT meeting in the current trade environment.

The APEC meeting is set to focus on three main agenda items: AI innovation for trade facilitation, connectivity through multilateral trading systems, and prosperity through sustainable trade. Cheong also engaged with the Chinese trade envoy to discuss multilateral trade systems and global supply chain issues, agreeing on the need for joint efforts to expand the bilateral free trade agreement to include service and investment sectors.

Republic of Korea conducted bilateral meetings with eight APEC member nations, including China, Vietnam, Mexico, and the Philippines, as well as with WTO Director-General Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala. The country plans to continue bilateral talks with other APEC economies until the end of the meeting.