US Secures Joint Statement on Illegal Timber Trade at APEC Forestry Ministerial in China

A US delegation attended the APEC Forestry Ministerial in China and secured a joint statement addressing illegal timber trade.

The United States secured a joint ministerial statement at the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Forestry Ministerial held in China, with the document reflecting a balance between US priorities and those of other member economies. The delegation included representatives from the Justice Department's Environment and Natural Resources Division (ENRD), among other US agencies. The ministerial was connected to the broader 2026 APEC senior officials' meeting process, which China is hosting this year. The joint statement addressed commitments related to combating the illegal timber trade across the Asia-Pacific region.

Why it matters

Illegal timber trade contributes to deforestation and undermines legal markets across the Asia-Pacific, one of the world's most timber-rich regions. A multilateral commitment among APEC economies could strengthen enforcement cooperation across major producer and consumer nations.

What's next

The commitments made in the joint statement will be tracked through the ongoing 2026 APEC senior officials' meeting process in China.

Key facts

• The APEC Forestry Ministerial was held in China as part of the 2026 APEC host year.
• The US secured a joint ministerial statement on combating illegal timber trade.
• The Justice Department's Environment and Natural Resources Division (ENRD) was part of the US delegation.
• The ministerial falls under the framework of APEC's 2026 senior officials' meetings.
• The joint statement was described as balancing US priorities with those of other APEC member economies.

Bias & framing notes

Both sources originate from US government or US-aligned outlets and frame the outcome positively from the American delegation's perspective. Neither source provides the views of other APEC member economies or any independent assessment of the commitments' strength or enforceability. The limited detail available in the reporting prevents a fuller picture of what the joint statement contains.

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