SYDNEY, November 12. /TASS/. Participants in the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit have expressed readiness to pool efforts to simplify cross-border movements for people amid the pandemic by 2022, according to the declaration adopted by the APEC summit, which was held on Friday under New Zealand’s presidency.

"Much of the Asia-Pacific’s growth has been stimulated by the ability of people to move across borders for business, tourism, and education. As a result of restrictions on the cross-border movement of people due to the COVID-19 pandemic, unrealised economic activity losses have been substantial," the document says.

"As we each look at reopening without undermining efforts to prevent the spread of COVID-19, we support APEC playing a greater role in promoting information exchange and coordination measures related to cross-border movement of people, including in relation to air and maritime crew, and COVID-19 testing and vaccination certificates. We will work towards tangible outcomes in 2022," it reads.

The Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC), an inter-governmental forum for economies in the Pacific Rim, brings together 19 countries and territories. Its 12 founding states are Australia, Brunei, Canada, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, New Zealand, the Philippines, Singapore, South Korea, Thailand, and the United States. Other members are China (joined in 1991), Mexico and Papua New Guinea (1993), Chile (1994), and Russia, Vietnam and Peru (1998). In 1991, two Chinese territories, Xianggang (Hong Kong) and Taiwan, also joined the APEC.

APEC economies, with a population of around three billion, account for 57% of global GDP and 48% of global trade. A ten-year moratorium on the APEC expansion came into force in 1998 and was extended indefinitely in 2010. India, Cambodia, Colombia, Costa Rica, Macao, Mongolia, Panama, Sri Lanka, and Ecuador are demonstrating interest in joining APEC.

New Zealand will pass over presidency of APEC to Thailand in 2022.