TOKYO: APEC leaders on Friday shared the recognition that it is important to promote the expansion of the production of COVID-19 vaccines in order to achieve an economic recovery from the pandemic.

In a joint declaration adopted at their online meeting, the leaders from the 21 Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation forum member economies, including Japan, the United States and China, said that they will “support global efforts to share vaccines equitably and expand vaccine manufacture and supply.” The economies will work to rectify disparities between advanced nations and developing countries over vaccine procurement.

At the summit, Japanese Prime Minister KISHIDA Fumio touched on a ministerial meeting of the World Trade Organization that will start in late November, saying that it would be indispensable for the conference to achieve progress in hammering out measures to address the coronavirus crisis and other issues.

The APEC leaders said in the joint declaration that they will “seek a pragmatic, effective and forward-looking multilateral response to COVID-19” at the WTO ministerial conference.

The declaration also noted that the APEC economies will work to “advance economic integration in the region in a manner that is market-driven,” apparently referring to partnership frameworks such as the Trans-Pacific Partnership free trade agreement, which China and Taiwan have applied to join.

In addition, the leaders agreed on the need to strengthen supply chains and the importance of promoting the shift to renewable energy from fossil fuels.

Also at the meeting, the APEC leaders adopted implementation plans intended to give shape to the new goals their economies set out last year to promote trade, investment and digitalization.