ABOUT 200 senior government officials, business executives and academics will be in town next week for a symposium of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (Apec) designed to advance regional economic integration.

This event will be the first major meeting Singapore has organised to prepare for its Apec chairmanship next year, which includes the hosting of an Apec leaders' summit.

Three key topics will be covered at the two-day symposium, to be held at the Grand Hyatt Hotel.

They are: how Apec can reduce barriers to trade and investment flows; improve the region's business environment; and boost connectivity through improved transport and logistics networks.

Speakers include former United States trade representative Charlene Barshefsky and Professor Robert Lawrence of Harvard University's John F. Kennedy School of Government.

Singapore will take over the Apec chairmanship from Peru next January. The year-long chairmanship will see about 90 meetings held here, culminating in the Singapore Apec Economic Leaders' Meeting in November next year. This is the first time that Singapore is hosting the leaders' meeting.

This Apec symposium follows the practice established by previous hosts of having a session before the start of their chairmanship to discuss priority issues facing the 21 Apec members.

However, this is the first time that business executives from the Apec Business Advisory Council are invited to participate in the session and exchange ideas with government officials and academic experts in small, informal breakout sessions.