Issued by the 12th APEC Transportation
Ministers’ Meeting
Beijing,
People’s Republic of China, 23 September
2026
APEC ministers are advancing
innovation across transportation systems to keep goods and
people moving as trade grows more complex.
“In
recent years, transportation connectivity across the
Asia-Pacific has made significant progress, powerfully
supporting smoother regional trade and deeper integration of
industrial and supply chains, providing solid support for
the region’s economic growth,” said Liu Wei, China’s
Minister of Transport and chair of the meeting held in
Beijing on Tuesday.
“At present, with global
economic recovery, weakened regional logistics and supply
chains facing multiple challenges, deepening practical
cooperation in Asia-Pacific transportation is of great
significance for coordinating regional development efforts
and enhancing the resilience of industrial and supply
chains,” Liu added.
According to ongoing APEC Policy
Support Unit research, across the Asia-Pacific, rail
networks grew 9 percent while airport and maritime
connectivity increased by 3.8 percent and 12 percent
respectively between 2015 and 2025, strengthening trade and
talent exchanges across the region.
But recent trade
uncertainty has pushed freight
costs higher, driven by tightened shipping capacity. A
single logistics chokepoint disruption can increase shipping
costs as high as 300
percent, driving up expenses for businesses and
consumers across the region.
Advertisement – scroll to continue reading
In response, ministers
called for stronger supply chain resilience by developing
quality transportation infrastructure through increased
financing and public-private partnerships. They also pointed
to diversifying infrastructural links such as expanding
maritime and air routes.
Ministers highlighted how new
technologies are modernizing transport systems, from
intelligent traffic signals to autonomous electric public
transport and predictive maintenance that can ease
congestion, cut fuel costs and speed emergency
responses.
They also stressed that innovation must be
secure and inclusive, with autonomous vehicles and digital
logistics platforms offering ways to improve access for
rural communities and connect smaller businesses to formal
supply chains.
“Digital technologies and intelligent
transport systems have moved from prospect to operation. The
question is no longer whether these technologies can be
deployed but how their benefits can be realized more broadly
across the region,” said Eduardo Pedrosa, Executive
Director of the APEC Secretariat.
Interoperability is
another focus as ministers seek ways to advance mutual
recognition of technical standards and closer coordination
on data rules. For consumers and commuters, common standards
could help ensure transport systems and vehicles are safe
and reliable across different markets and
conditions.
As air, rail, road and maritime
transportation are more connected, new risks emerge.
Ministers pointed to cybersecurity threats that could ripple
across entire networks, disrupting businesses well beyond a
single point of failure.
To encourage more
collaboration in transport management, ministers also noted
the importance of more research on such challenges and
enhancing connectivity through intermodal transportation,
especially through the new APEC Expert Group on
Transportation Research, which brings together experts
across different forms of
transport.
