New member: John Tsang (left) attends his first APEC Ministerial Meeting as Secretary for Commerce, Industry & Technology.

Secretary for Commerce, Industry & Technology John Tsang has called for world trade talks to be re-energised following the recent impasse of global negotiations in Cancun, Mexico.

Speaking at the 15th APEC Ministerial Meeting in Bangkok on October 18, Mr Tsang said Hong Kong is disappointed there has not been progress during the Cancun talks on a new and more intensive stage of negotiations.

But he said government leaders and trade ministers around the world must continue to move forward. He said the major challenge facing APEC trade ministers is how to sustain the momentum of liberalisation.

"I think every economy will lose should the Doha Development Agenda of the World Trade Organisation fail," he said.

"So it is up to us now to seize this opportunity and press forward. Inaction is not an option. I note with some consolation that experience in previous rounds has shown that the multilateral trading system is fully capable of resurrection after major setbacks.

"So what is most in need now is a strong political will and strong political determination leading to realistic and pragmatic decisions on the negotiation table. The Cancun text is not perfect. But we don't have any better point to start. So let us make an ambitious move forward using that as a basis."

Mr Tsang called on APEC ministers to ask their government leaders to pledge their strongest support to the DDA and to confront the deadlock using the Cancun text as the frame of reference.

"And, we can ask them to instruct our WTO delegates in Geneva to redouble their efforts to re-energise this negotiation process," he said.

Attending his first APEC Ministerial Meeting as Secretary for Commerce, Industry & Technology, Mr Tsang also held bilateral meetings with a number of economies, including Australia, Thailand, the US, and Chile.