APEC Ministers Advance Digital Innovation to Build More Resilient Transport Systems
Issued by the 12th APEC Transportation Ministers’ Meeting
“In recent years, transportation connectivity across the Asia-Pacific has made significant progress, powerfully supporting smoother regional trade and deeper integration of industrial and supply chains, providing solid support for the region’s economic growth,” said Liu Wei, China’s Minister of Transport and chair of the meeting held in Beijing on Tuesday.
“At present, with global economic recovery, weakened regional logistics and supply chains facing multiple challenges, deepening practical cooperation in Asia-Pacific transportation is of great significance for coordinating regional development efforts and enhancing the resilience of industrial and supply chains,” Liu added.
According to ongoing APEC Policy Support Unit research, across the Asia-Pacific, rail networks grew 9 percent while airport and maritime connectivity increased by 3.8 percent and 12 percent respectively between 2015 and 2025, strengthening trade and talent exchanges across the region.
But recent trade uncertainty has pushed freight costs higher, driven by tightened shipping capacity. A single logistics chokepoint disruption can increase shipping costs as high as 300 percent, driving up expenses for businesses and consumers across the region.
In response, ministers called for stronger supply chain resilience by developing quality transportation infrastructure through increased financing and public-private partnerships. They also pointed to diversifying infrastructural links such as expanding maritime and air routes.
Ministers highlighted how new technologies are modernizing transport systems, from intelligent traffic signals to autonomous electric public transport and predictive maintenance that can ease congestion, cut fuel costs and speed emergency responses.
They also stressed that innovation must be secure and inclusive, with autonomous vehicles and digital logistics platforms offering ways to improve access for rural communities and connect smaller businesses to formal supply chains.
“Digital technologies and intelligent transport systems have moved from prospect to operation. The question is no longer whether these technologies can be deployed but how their benefits can be realized more broadly across the region,” said Eduardo Pedrosa, Executive Director of the APEC Secretariat.
Interoperability is another focus as ministers seek ways to advance mutual recognition of technical standards and closer coordination on data rules. For consumers and commuters, common standards could help ensure transport systems and vehicles are safe and reliable across different markets and conditions.
As air, rail, road and maritime transportation are more connected, new risks emerge. Ministers pointed to cybersecurity threats that could ripple across entire networks, disrupting businesses well beyond a single point of failure.
To encourage more collaboration in transport management, ministers also noted the importance of more research on such challenges and enhancing connectivity through intermodal transportation, especially through the new APEC Expert Group on Transportation Research, which brings together experts across different forms of transport.
