Related meetings of the Third Senior Officials Meeting (SOM III) of the 13th APEC Ministerial Meeting opened Thursday in this coastal city of northeast China's Liaoning Province.

The various committees and forums are expected to discuss the specific work of APEC in their respective fields at the related meetings, which will last till August 21.

The SOM III, to be held on August 23 to 24, will be presided over by Wang Guangya, vice-foreign minister of China and SOM Chair.

This is the last SOM formal meeting held before the APEC Economic Leaders' Meeting, scheduled in Shanghai in October.

(Xinhua News Agency 08/16/2001)