APEC meeting in Osaka
OThe "free trade" and "free investment" clique gathered in Osaka from 16-19 November for the third Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) conference. With the prodding of the world's two largest imperialist powers, the USA and Japan, APEC barricaded itself into the GATT-WTO, swearing to liberalise trade and investment in the Asia-Pacific region. In fact, APEC adds more to
GATT-WTO in that it seeks a "comprehensive" trade and investment programme, which calls for a "policy co-ordination and co-operation programme" among the member states. Such programmes go beyond the objectives of GATT-WTO.
In the 1994 APEC meeting in Bodor, Indonesia, member states committed themselves to lift trade and investment barriers by 2010 (for developed countries) and 2020 (for developing countries) 1.
APEC's "free trade and free investment"
attitude advocates more wealth accumulation for a rich few, more wealth extraction from the poor countries, more domination and exploitation of poor and people, countries more displacement of farmers and indigenous peoples, more destruction of the local environment, more marginalisation of women, and more oppression and restriction of workers and peasants, who are denied their right to form their own organisations. For example, trade unions may not be formed in the Special Economic
Zones (SEZ) which APEC praises so much. Many Trans National
Corporations and local governments now operate a "no strike, no union" industrial policy.
Just before the official APE gathering, several meetings and conferences were held in Osaka by trade unionists, students, youth activists and NGO people. The "parallel" gatherings cam out with the conclusion that APEC's free trade and free investment policy is socially unjust, ecologically unsustainable, and restricts people's fundamental democratic and political rights.
*
1. See the Bodor declaration, "Comprehensive and Concrete Plans of Action for APEC members".
Source: Asian Students Association (ASA) Movement News Round Up. Published monthly in English and Japanese by ASA, 353 Shanghai St 4/F, Kowloon, Hong Kong.
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