Senior officials from Pacific Rim economies will agree on the need for a free-trade zone in the region when they meet in Hiroshima on Monday and Tuesday, according to a draft of the agenda.
The 21 members of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation forum aim to "agree on how to explore possible pathways to an FTAAP building on existing analytical studies," the draft said, referring to the potential of the zone, dubbed the Free Trade Area in the Asia Pacific.
This year, Japan assumes APEC's rotating chairmanship, which involves China, Russia and the United States, and will host a series of meetings, including ministerial talks and a summit in November.