Member countries of the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation forum must endeavor to promote cross-border e-commerce and solve problems such as infringement of Internet security, International Trade and Industry Minister Takashi Fukaya said Monday.

In the keynote speech at the opening of the two-day APEC/E-Commerce Convention in Tokyo, Fukaya said: "Taking into account its population, market size, economic vitality and growth, the APEC (region) has immense potential for the (development of) e-commerce.

"Now is the time for e-commerce leaders from the APEC region to discuss issues to be tackled and transmit the results to the rest of the world."

A total of 25 government and private-sector experts on e-commerce from 13 APEC economies are participating in the conference, which was proposed by Fukaya during APEC ministerial meetings last September in Auckland.

The conference aims to facilitate concrete development of e-commerce in APEC and lay the groundwork for the 21-member economies to play active roles in establishing a global framework in areas such as authenticating electronic signatures.

At the conference, The participants are expected to discuss current e-commerce trends, bring to light problems confronting the region and seek a direction for APEC's future activities, said officials of the Ministry of International Trade and Industry.

MITI is cohosting the event with the Japan External Trade Organization.

Because information technology will probably be on the agenda of the Group of Eight summit in Okinawa in June, Fukaya said he hopes to pass on to the summit the information gathered at the conference.

"There is concern that the gap between the rich and the poor could become wider and that some societies could be left behind," said Alan Larson, U.S. undersecretary of state for economic, business and agricultural affairs.

"To empower all of our people to reach their full potential, we must be prepared to help every country that wishes to be a part of the 'New Economy' to develop the strategies to ensure that it maximizes its digital opportunities."