Secretary for Commerce & Economic Development Frederick Ma will attend the Asia-Pacific Economic Co-operation Ministers Responsible for Trade Meeting in Arequipa, Peru, and the Organisation for Economic Co-operation & Development 2008 Ministerial Council Meeting Trade Session in Paris.

The APEC meeting, with the theme "A new commitment to the development of the Asia-Pacific", will be held from May 30 to June 1. Members will review and discuss regional economic integration, trade facilitation, investment promotion, food-price escalation and corporate social responsibility.

Mr Ma will also meet with trade ministers in Arequipa to discuss matters of mutual interest.

He will then fly to Paris to join the OECD 2008 Ministerial Council Meeting Trade Session. Members will discuss economic policy issues, including future challenges for the multilateral trading system.

In Paris, Mr Ma will attend an informal meeting with World Trade Organisation member economies' trade ministers to take stock of the latest developments of the Doha Round of negotiations and discuss possible actions to bring the round to a successful conclusion.

Mr Ma will return to Hong Kong on June 6.