The Philippines encouraged member economies of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) to reject arbitrary non-tariff measures (NTMs) and push for key reforms in the global trading environment to ensure resilient supply chains, the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) said.

Trade Secretary Cristina Roque represented the Philippines during last week’s APEC Ministers Responsible for Trade (MRT) meetings in the eastern Chinese city of Suzhou, where she affirmed the country’s commitment to open and rules-based global trade.

During the meetings, Roque urged APEC members to keep markets open and avoid unnecessary NTMs at a time when global trade is facing growing uncertainty and unprecedented disruptions.

Through these initiatives, she said APEC could improve the resilience and security of supply chains, especially for workers such as Filipino seafarers who play a major role in global trade.

The United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) earlier said in a report that NTMs, which are policy measures other than tariffs that impose restrictions on trade, are increasing export costs for around 88 percent of countries.

UNCTAD warned that the rapid use of NTMs would widen the gap between developed and developing regions, with smaller developing countries and least-developed countries facing the greatest risk.

To this end, Roque reiterated the call to reinforce the World Trade Organization (WTO) through meaningful reform. Earlier, the Philippines joined 33 other economies in pushing for the revival of the trade dispute settlement system within the WTO in order to empower countries to push back against restrictive trade measures.

On the digital front, the DTI chief urged APEC member economies to harmonize trade rules, align governance standards on artificial intelligence (AI) and data, and accelerate paperless trade.

Amid challenges brought on by the Middle East conflict, Roque said the regional economic forum also focused on initiatives to strengthen energy supply and food security. For the Philippines, she said this meant encouraging the entry of investors to advance its clean energy push.

“For us, we need to meet with companies that’s relevant, that’s needed now, and companies that want to invest. Not those that are exploring to invest, but those ready to invest,” she told reporters.

In a joint statement following the MRT meetings, APEC trade ministers reaffirmed their shared commitment to advancing economic integration in the Asia-Pacific region “in a manner that is market-driven.”

This deeper integration is expected to be realized through the proposed Free Trade Area of the Asia-Pacific (FTAAP), which is expected to ease trade barriers and make trade among APEC’s 21 members more streamlined.

The statement also acknowledged that while the WTO is key to facilitating global trade, it requires meaningful reform to become more responsive to the interests of its members. In addition, the ministers agreed to ensure that the benefits of digital transformation, including the flow of data across borders, are accessible to every member.