Joint efforts should be made to speed up the economic integration process in the Asia-Pacific region, with the Free Trade Area of the Asia-Pacific (FTAAP) as a long-term vision, Chinese Minister of Commerce Gao Hucheng said here on Friday.

The Asia-Pacific economy is playing a critical role in the world, serving as the growth engine of the global economy, Gao said in his opening remarks at the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Ministerial Meeting kicking off on Friday.