Secretary of State Hillary Clinton has reiterated the U.S. commitment to the Asia-Pacific region, as the United States prepares to host the APEC summit later this year.
Clinton spoke Wednesday, at a meeting in Washington of senior officials of the 21-member Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation forum.
She said President Barack Obama is committed to APEC and the Asia-Pacific regions. Clinton emphasized the power of economic integration to achieve "real and lasting benefits."
She described the challenges facing the region and the world, such as increases in food and fuel prices, greenhouse gases and consumption of resources. Clinton says APEC must strive to create jobs, increase trade and investment, fuel innovation, invest in education and pursue inclusive growth.
Video of Secretary Clinton's speech to APEC
She laid out four principals for success: open opportunities around the world; a free platform with as few barriers to trade and investment as possible; transparency so that rules are developed by all stakeholders and known and applied to all; and a fair and level playing field, where businesses succeed or fail based on honest competition rather than government manipulation.
The United States is striving to meet President Obama's goal of doubling exports by 2015 and is looking to the APEC region for opportunities to do more business. Secretary Clinton says the United States and the region are "well positioned to rise together" and "to achieve greater prosperity in partnership."
The host year culminates with the APEC leaders meeting in November in Honolulu, Hawaii.