On this day, 32 years ago, on February 12, 1993 (January 21, 1993 in the lunar calendar), the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation Secretariat was established. On February 12, 1993, the APEC Secretariat was established in Singapore. The Secretary-General is American William Bode. The full name of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation is the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation. It is an international organization established by some Asian and Pacific Rim countries and regions to promote economic exchanges and cooperation in the region. Its purposes are: to maintain economic development in the Asia-Pacific region, increase economic exchanges, develop and strengthen an open multilateral trading system, reduce tariff barriers among members, and contribute to the development of the world economy. Existing members of APEC include 15 countries and regions including Australia, Brunei, Canada, China, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Japan, South Korea, Malaysia, New Zealand, the Philippines, Singapore, China Taipei, Thailand and the United States. The secretariat is located in Singapore. The 15 member states of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation have a population of 2 billion. Their GDP accounts for about half of the world's and their trade volume accounts for about 40% of the world's. The economic growth rate of this region in the past 10 years has greatly exceeded that of other regions in the world and is the most economically dynamic place in the world today. Since its establishment, the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation has held four ministerial meetings, and has experienced a process of development from a forum style to an institutional and organizational process. In January 1989, when the Prime Minister of Australia visited South Korea, he proposed the initiative of convening an Asia-Pacific Economic and Trade Cooperation Conference, which received response from relevant countries. From November 6 to 7 of the same year, the first Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation Ministerial Conference was held in Canberra. From July 29 to 31, 1990, the Second Ministerial Conference was held in Singapore. Foreign affairs and trade ministers from 12 countries including Australia, Brunei, Canada, Indonesia, Japan, South Korea, Malaysia, New Zealand, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and the United States attended the meeting. After repeated consultations with the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation, and based on the principles of "one China" and "distinguishing between sovereign countries and regional economies," China joined the agency in November 1991 at the same time as "China Taipei" and "Hong Kong." From November 12 to 14, 1991, the Third Ministerial Conference of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation was held in Seoul. China, China Taipei and Hong Kong participated in the meeting for the first time, bringing the total number of members to 15. The meeting adopted the Seoul Declaration on Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation, emphasizing the importance of Asia-Pacific economic cooperation and stipulating the purpose, scope of activities and cooperation methods of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation. The meeting also adopted a statement urging the advancement of the Uruguay Round of multilateral trade negotiations. On September 10 - 11, 1992, the Fourth Ministerial Conference held in Bangkok adopted the Bangkok Declaration and the Bangkok Joint Statement and decided to establish a secretariat in Singapore as a permanent institution of APEC. This marks a big step forward from the nature of a forum to the institutionalization and organization of the conference. The meeting also decided to further promote and expand regional trade liberalization, and make efforts to coordinate and cooperate on 10 thematic projects including trade and investment data, trade, technology transfer, human resources, energy, marine resources, communications, transportation, tourism and fisheries. The meeting also agreed to establish an expert group to make recommendations on the organization's long-term plan to the year 2000.