Australian to push for free trade at Paris OECD meet

Australian Trade Minister Steve Ciobo on Tuesday said he will push for greater trade liberalization at the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) meeting to be held in Paris later this week.

Ciobo will vice chair the OECD Ministerial Council Meeting in Paris, Xinhua news agency reported.

He said that 35 ministers from the member states will be attending the meeting, which will "focus" on discussing how to harness "the benefits of global trade."

In a statement released on Tuesday, Ciobo said Australia was one of the world's best examples of a growing economy which has benefited from free trade and foreign investment.

"The OECD promotes pro-growth economic and trade policies that create jobs," Ciobo said.

"I will advocate the case for economic openness and ambitious trade liberalization, noting Australia is in its 26th year of uninterrupted economic growth due in large part to our openness to international trade and investment."

The OECD ministerial meetings will take place in Paris on June 7 and 8.

--IANS

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