Economic ministers from ASEM member countries will exchange views and opinions on the new round of WTO free trade talks, and hope to reach common ground before the WTO Ministerial Conference in Kankun in one month's time, the assistant Minister of Commerce said at a press conference in Dalian Tuesday afternoon.

The organizing committee of the fifth ASEM Economic Minister's Meeting held its first press conference Tuesday afternoon, introducing the latest preparation and main topics for the Economic Ministers' Meeting (EMM).

Yi Xiaozhun, the assistant minister of commerce, said that the Economic Ministers' Meeting was an opportunity to discuss the current world economy, WTO talks and ASEM cooperation.

One of the important topics of the meeting will be to evaluate the impact of the Iraqi War and the SARS epidemic on the world economy. China was the area hit hardest by SARS, which claimed hundreds of lives and slowed down economic growth. Economic Ministers from ASEM will also check and discuss the implementation of trade and investment facilitation, and set the top-priority fields for ASEM cooperation.

As for WTO issues, ASEM members will exchange views and opinions on a new round of free trade talks, and prepare for the upcoming WTO trade ministers' meeting at Cancun, Mexico.

The Economic Ministers' Meeting will also discuss issues of regional economic cooperation like the establishment of free trade zones and the expansion of the European Union.

Yi also introduced the latest preparations for the ASEM Economic Ministers' Meeting. He said that 250 officials from 26 ASEM members will attend the meeting, including 20 economic ministers. Till 5 p.m, July 22, over 210 representatives had arrived in Dalian. Other representatives will arrive at Tuesday night or Wednesday morning.

In addition, 405 journalists from 73 domestic media and 13 overseas media will cover the fifth ASEM Economic Ministers' Meeting.

Tuesday afternoon, Lu Fuyuan, chairperson of the 5th ASEM Economic Ministers' Meeting and Chinese minister of commerce, met with visiting senior officials from Vietnam, Austria, Denmark, Singapore, Malaysia, Brunei and Finland in Dalian.

(China.org.cn by staff reporter Tang Fuchun, July 23, 2003)