• Today Leaders of these three economies participated as speakers at the APEC CEO Summit 2008
On the second CEO Summit Meetings day, Hong Kong Leader, Donald Tsang, provided "Strengthening global free trade and investment: which should be keys priorities?" conference. Tsang mentioned some numbers regarding Hong Kong economic growth and spoke about policies that contribute to investment facilitation as well as low taxes system.
Hong Kong Leader stressed the importance of supporting WTO in order to achieve a global trade liberalization which could stop many people from being poor. He commented on global financial crisis effects, which confronts us with recession and unemployment. "The world is convulsed, but we should have a bit of calmness and peace of mind. It´s time to share experiences and knowledge to build a more coordinated economy."
Subsequently, newly re-elected Canada Leader, Stephen Harper, offered his presentation. In addition, he has carried out numerous measures to alleviate crisis effects in Canada, which he explained in "How does financial crisis affects the APEC agenda: is it necessary to re-think the priorities?" conference.
Recent Canadian taxation, monetary and trade policies were outlined in a speech that stressed the need to improve regulation without increasing it. "Direct governments involvement in bank regulation, instead of banks led by governments, is the solution for the financial crisis," Harper asserted.
Mexican Leader, Felipe Calderón, lectured the conference entitled "The impact of the global crisis in Latin America.
What should be the answer? ". Calderon showed the main impacts of the financial crisis in Latin American economies, exports drop and reduction regarding foreign investment.
He later analyzed mistakes made on the road that lead to the crisis and talked about structural reforms that Mexico has carried out this year. "Free trade generates public welfare: the market solution and no problem in this crisis," he said. The Leader also highlighted growth of economies such as China and Peru, declaring that "this is where opportunities are."