| APEC Canada 1997 | |
|---|---|
| Host country | Canada |
| Date | 24–25 November |
| Venues | Museum of Anthropology at UBC Vancouver, British Columbia |
| Follows | 1996 |
| Precedes | 1998 |
APEC Canada 1997 was a series ofAsia-Pacific Economic Cooperation meetings focused on economic cooperation, held inVancouver, British Columbia, Canada on 24–25 November 1997. It was the fifthAPEC meeting in history, and the second held in the Americas. Though discussions also involved the admission ofPeru,Russia, andVietnam into the organization (as of 2010, these countries remained APEC's newest members), the meeting focused on development inAsia-Pacific countries, and its implications for the world's economy. The role of the IMF was also discussed, as was the need to strengthen global cooperation with respect to economic activity (EVSL initiative - tariffs), customs procedures, and emergencies.[1]47% of world trade is done by APEC members.[2] The first day of the meeting was November 24, 1997.
The organization first met as a forum in 1989, in an informal meeting meant to facilitate dialogue between member nations (originally 12 including 3 G8 countries). It was intended to liberalize international trade. APEC's three pillars were delineated at the 1995 meeting in Japan.[2]
Three new members Russia, Peru and Vietnam, were admitted under a ten-year integration initiative (a decision agreed in 1997 but not converted into formal admission for the new members until 1998).[3] The most recent additions prior to this had been those of Mexico, Papua New Guinea, and Chile in 1991.[2]
1997 was also the year Russia entered the G7, creating the G8.
The groupratified atariff reduction initiative calledearly voluntary sectoral liberalization (EVSL), which aimed to lower tariffs across 15 economic sectors; the process regarded nine of these as priority areas.[2]
Goals were set regarding financial stability and how it could be achieved through a stronger and more relevantInternational Monetary Fund. Customs procedures were also discussed, with the goal of improvingclearances by 2000.[4]
An APEC report, compiled by inquiry commissionerTed Hughes and including testimonies from over 150 witnesses, concluded that theRoyal Canadian Mounted Police used excessive force on protesters during the meeting.[5]
| Attendees at the 1997 APEC Economic Leaders' Meeting | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Country | Position | Name | |
 Australia | Prime Minister | John Howard[6] | |
 Brunei | Sultan | Hassanal Bolkiah[7] | |
 Canada | Prime Minister | Jean Chrétien[6] | |
 Chile | President | Eduardo Frei Ruiz-Tagle[6] | |
 China | President | Jiang Zemin[8] | |
 Hong Kong | Chief Executive | Tung Chee-hwa[6] | |
 Indonesia | President | Suharto[9] | |
 Japan | Prime Minister | Ryutaro Hashimoto[8] | |
 South Korea | President | Kim Young Sam[8] | |
 Malaysia | Prime Minister | Mahathir Mohamad[6] | |
 Mexico | President | Ernesto Zedillo[6] | |
 New Zealand | Prime Minister | Jim Bolger[6] | |
 Papua New Guinea | Prime Minister | Bill Skate[6] | |
 Philippines | President | Fidel Ramos[6] | |
 Singapore | Prime Minister | Goh Chok Tong[6] | |
 Chinese Taipei | Special Representative | Koo Chen-fu[6] | |
 Thailand | Prime Minister | Chuan Leekpai[6] | |
 United States | President | Bill Clinton[8] | |
| Preceded by | APEC meetings 1997 | Succeeded by |