David Spencer (3rd R), deputy secretary of the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade and chair of the Senior Officials Meeting (SOM), delivers a opening remark at the opening of the APEC Concluding Senior Officials Meeting at the Sydney Exhibition and Convention Center in Sydney, Australia, yesterday. - Xinhua 

Senior officials of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) members began today their concluding meeting of the year, to make final preparations for the regional group's ministerial meeting and economic leaders meeting scheduled for later this week.

In the two-day meeting, the officials will discuss issues relating to the World Trade Organization (WTO), multilateral trade and investment, integration of regional economy and APEC reform, David Spencer, deputy secretary of the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade and chair of the meeting, said at the opening session.

Climate change and clean development, energy security, human security, forestry recovery and sustainable development will also top the agendas of the discussions.

The meeting is the final in a series of four Senior Officials Meetings held in different Australian cities throughout the year for the preparation of the APEC Ministerial Meeting, slated on Sept 5-6, and the 15th APEC Economic Leaders Meeting, on Sept 8-9.

The theme for this year's APEC meetings is "Strengthening our community, building a sustainable future."

Since its inception in 1989 in response to the growing interdependence among Asia-Pacific economies, APEC has become a formidable regional forum acting as the primary regional vehicle for promoting open trade and practical economic and technical cooperation in the Asia-Pacific region.

APEC currently has 21 members: Australia, Brunei, Canada, Chile, China Chinese Taipei, Hong Kong of China, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, Mexico, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, Peru, the Philippines, Russia, Singapore, South Korea, Thailand, the United States and Vietnam. Australia is the chair of this year.