The Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Business Advisory Committee will hold an avian flu seminar in Hong Kong next month, Hong Kong Director-General of Trade and Industry Raymond Young said on Thursday.

During the APEC's senior officials meeting held in Hanoi, Vietnam, Young said he has invited APEC members to attend an avian flu seminar in Hong Kong.

A work plan to implement the Initiatives on Preparing for and Mitigating an Influenza Pandemic was endorsed at the meeting. The initiatives include the hosting of an APEC Meeting of Ministers Responsible for Avian and Pandemic Influenza in Vietnam in 2006.

The meeting also endorsed Hong Kong's financial support proposal to facilitate wider APEC member economies' participation in the symposium, which will bring together participants from anti- corruption agencies, law enforcement organizations, regulatory bodies, professionals and academics from all over the world to share their knowledge and expertise on the subject.

The meeting, which was held on March 1 and 2, discussed a wide range of trade and economic issues. Agreement was reached in different areas to promote trade and investment in the region and to address the threat of avian influenza.

Source: Xinhua