Supattanapong Prepares to Fly for APEC Trade Ministers Meeting, Driving Open Trade and Innovation
Deputy PM Supattanapong will represent Thailand at China's APEC trade ministers meeting in May, focusing on open trade, digital innovation, and sustainable economic cooperation across the Asia-Pacific region.
Deputy Prime Minister and Commerce Minister Supattanapong Punmeechaiya will attend the 2025 APEC Ministers Responsible for Trade (APEC MRT) meeting hosted by the People's Republic of China in Suzhou, Jiangsu Province, from May 22-23 under the theme "Building an Asia-Pacific Community to Prosper Together."
Supattanapong stated that the meeting will drive three concrete outcomes: "Openness" to promote transparent, predictable, and inclusive trade and economic systems at both regional and multilateral levels; "Innovation" to establish trade and investment cooperation mechanisms powered by modern technology; and "Cooperation" to strengthen collaboration among member economies in addressing shared economic challenges sustainably.
The 2025 meeting represents a crucial opportunity for Thailand to showcase its vision and exchange perspectives on open, sustainable trade cooperation and digital economic transformation under the National AI Strategy, while supporting cross-border data flows. Discussions will cover environmentally friendly trade, AI governance frameworks, and capacity-building for developing economies and MSMEs.
Supattanapong will also hold bilateral discussions with major economies including China and Singapore to advance economic, trade, and investment cooperation, while reaffirming Thailand's commitment to open trade systems and regional economic cooperation. Thailand prioritizes trade facilitation, digital transition, sustainable commerce, and supply chain resilience.
APEC comprises 21 economies, and in 2024, Thailand's trade with APEC members reached $494.6 billion, representing 72.24% of Thailand's total trade, with exports of $237.6 billion and imports of $257.1 billion.
