The first Senior Officials Meeting (SOM I) and related meetings of the 13th Ministerial Conference of APEC opened in Beijing Monday morning.

The meeting, presided over by Chinese vice-foreign minister and Chairman of SOM I, Wang Guangya, is attended by senior officials from the 21 APEC member economies.

Participants will outline the whole work of the organization this year and prepare for ministerial-level meetings and the informal leadership meeting, which is scheduled for Shanghai in October.

They will also discuss the regional economic situation, globalization and the new economy, as well as joint efforts to promote economic and technological cooperation, capacity building, and human resources development.

The SOM I and related meetings will last a week.

(Xinhua 02/12/2001)