Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation and Australia
APEC's Three Pillars
Economic and Technical Cooperation (Ecotech)
Economic and technical cooperation (Ecotech) complements APEC's broader trade liberalisation and facilitation objectives by helping member economies build the institutional capacity to implement and take advantage of the benefits of trade and investment reforms.
Ecotech aims:
- to promote sustainable growth and equitable development in the Asia-Pacific region
- to reduce economic disparities among APEC economies
- to improve the economic and social well-being of the people
- to deepen the spirit of community in the Asia-Pacific
Ecotech work focuses on policy dialogues, sharing best practices and experience, long-term training and skills development, strengthening economic infrastructure, the harmonisation of standards, harnessing technologies for the future, and promoting environmentally sustainable development.
In 2000-2001, APEC economies received AUS$14 million of Australia's AUS$26 million trade related development assistance budget. Total Australian support for APEC trade-related development activities is worth around AUS$149 million. These initiatives will strengthen partner countries' capacity to participate in global and regional trade and take advantage of new trade opportunities.
Australia is currently providing economics and foreign trade policy training in China (worth AUS$7 million over eight years), with particular emphasis on China's rights and obligations arising from its recent membership of the WTO.
There are around 250 Ecotech projects underway under the supervision of APEC Working Groups and related bodies and in 2001, Ecotech launched 148 new projects.
Human capacity building has been a key area of Ecotech focus for China during its year as APEC Chair in 2001. The Beijing Initiative on Human Capacity Building, launched in May 2001, lays the foundation for enhanced human capacity building work in APEC, using a cooperative model involving government, business, training and education sectors.