ZAHEDAN – The 7th Asia Pacific Economic Forum (APEF 2008) International Conference kicked off here on Monday with the theme of East and West Asia Trade and Economic Relations Opportunities, Challenges and Outcomes.

The 7th International APEF Conference has been jointly organized by the universities of Isfahan and Sistan-Baluchestan, IRIB reported.
The aim of the three-day conference is to review recent trade and economic developments in East and West Asia and the Pacific Region as well as to discuss crucial issues and aspects of globalization, international competitiveness, crises, the emergence of new Asian regionalism, and the proliferation of bilateral and multilateral free trade agreements in Asia-Pacific. It also explores how these will affect East and West Asia’s trade, investment, economic integration and relations.
APEF is an international economics group established in May 2001 at the Kangwon National University, Chunchon, Korea.
APEF’s objectives are to research, discuss and disseminate substantive findings and information on development, growth, trade, regional integration and international economic relations in Asia-Pacific countries.
APEF membership currently includes academics from high-level universities in Australia, the U.S., Japan, South Korea, Iran, China, Taiwan, Hong Kong, New Zealand, Thailand, and other Asian countries.
According to the APEF website, the previous conferences were hosted by Kangwon National University, Korea (2001), University of Wollongong, Australia (2002), Keio University, Japan (2003), Renmin University, China (2004), Kangwon National University, Korea (2006), and University of Wollongong, Australia (2007)