SINGAPORE has chosen growth and integration as the themes of the meetings of the 21-member Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (Apec) grouping in what is sure to be a busy year as they battle the global economic crisis.

As the chairman and host of this year's meetings, Singapore unveiled the theme on Wednesday as 'Sustaining growth, Connecting the region'.

This year marks several milestones - it is Apec's 20th anniversary since its formation in 1989, and Singapore will host the economic leaders meeting for the first time.

For the first time also, in February and July, both Apec's trade and finance senior officials will meet together on fiscal and monetary measures to help businesses and workers during the global downturn.

Previously, they had met separately. The meetings will culminate in a summit for world leaders from economies around the Pacific Rim towards the end of the year that should see, among others, United States President-elect Barack Obama and Chinese Premier Hu Jintao here in Singapore.

The Republic took over as host from Peru after the November 25 summit in Lima last year. Peru hosted a total of 129 meetings leading up to the summit under a theme of 'A new commitment to Asia-Pacific Development'.

While the crisis is clearly the top priority, Singapore will hope that under its chairmanship Apec achieves more progress on regional economic integration by lowering trade and investment barriers, simplifying business regulations, and reducing the time and cost of moving between borders across the region, described as issues 'at the border', 'behind the border' and 'across the border'.

This includes setting building blocks for a possible Free Trade Area of the Asia-Pacific (FTAAP), which would bring together 40 per cent of the world's people and half of world trade.

With the US and China among its ranks, the Apec meetings could help to provide further support for the completion of the derailed Doha Round of global trade talks, which is now going into its eighth year.

Singapore has also unveiled a logo and set up a website at www.apec2009.sg.

The logo - a spark with 21 strokes - symbolises the 21 member economies coming together and working towards unity, cooperation and synergy to advance common interests.