What is APEC?

The Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation comprises 18 countries: Australia, Brunei, Canada, Chile, China, Hong Kong/China, Indonesia, Japan, S. Korea, Malaysia, Mexico, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, Philippines, Singapore, Taiwan, Thailand and the US.

Agenda for APEC '97:

Establish fund to cope with currency crises in region;

Free trade;

Priority sectors for liberalisation;

Lower cost of doing business.

The main players:

President Bill Clinton, the US;

President Jiang Zemin, China;

Prime Minister Jean Chretien, Canada, who will chair summit

Prime Minister Hashimoto, Japan;

President Suharto, Indonesia;

Prime Minister John Howard, Australia;

President Zedillo, Mexico;

President Kim Young-Sam, S. Korea;

President Ramos, the Philippines;

Prime Minister Goh Chock Tong, Singapore.