High Ranking Ministers Coming For Apec

Enterprise and Commerce Minister Max Bradford says the calibre of the Ministers from the Asia-Pacific region coming to New Zealand for the APEC SME (Small and Medium Enterprise) Ministers' meeting is impressive.

At least 19 Ministers are expected to attend the meeting which is being held in Christchurch, April 26 - 28th. The full list of attendees will be released later this week.

"However, I can release the following details of six Ministers from leading APEC economies," Mr Bradford said.

Hon Tony Abbott: Australia's Minister for Employment Services;

Zheng Silin: Vice Chairman of China's State Economic and Trade Commission;

Adi Sasono: Indonesia's Minister for Cooperatives, Small and Medium Enterprises;

Sanzo Hosaka: Japan's State Secretary for International Trade and Industry;

Andrei Shapovalyants: The Russia Federation's Minister for the Economy;

Robert Mallett: United States Deputy Secretary of Commerce, Trade and Industry;

"It is gratifying to see that key economies are regarding the APEC SME Ministers' meeting so highly," Mr Bradford said.

"The meeting will be an important opportunity for high ranking Ministers to discuss the issues surrounding the economies of APEC," he said.

Further details attached

Enquiries: Jeremy Kirk, press secretary (04) 471 8936 / 025 424 565

Background information on visiting Asia-Pacific Region Ministers

Hon Tony Abbott: Australia's Minister for Employment Services;
Mr Abbott was appointed in his current role in October last year. Previously he had been the Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Employment, Education, Training and Youth Affairs from March 1996 - October 1998.

Zheng Silin: Vice Chairman of China's State Economic and Trade Commission;
Zheng Silin is an ex-Governor of the Jiangsu province. He has also been a Vice Minister of the Ministry of Foreign Trade and Economic Cooperation. In his current role he has been heavily involved in the reform of State Owned Enterprises.

Adi Sasono: Indonesia's Minister for Cooperatives, Small and Medium Enterprises;
Adi Sasono was appointed as Minister last year. In 1985 he was appointed Secretary General of the Society for Improving Small Entrepreneurs. In 1988 he became the secretary of the Indonesian Agrobusiness Foundation and in 1993 was made an advisor to the Indonesian Cooperative Council. He still holds all these positions.

Sanzo Hosaka: Japan's State Secretary for International Trade and Industry;
Sanzo Hosaka was appointed as State Secretary in 1998. He has been involved in politics since 1971 when he was first elected to the Taito City Assembly. He was first elected to the House of Councillors in 1995. Other roles include; Director of the Taito City District Branch of the Liberal Democratic Party and Chairman of Tokyo Automobile Chamber of Commerce.

Andrei Shapovalyants: The Russia Federation's Minister for the Economy;
Andrei Shapovalyants served as Deputy Russian Economics and Finance Minister, First Deputy Economics Minister, and Acting Economics Minister before being appointment Minister for the Economy.

Robert Mallett: United State's Deputy Secretary of Commerce, Trade and Industry;
Mr Mallett was appointed as Deputy Secretary in September 1997. He plays a lead role in promoting full market access for American companies in countries around the globe. He is also responsible for the day-to-day operations of a very diversified cabinet-level Department within which there are nine agencies with collectively 40,000 employees.