Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) 2021 Senior Officials' Meeting chair Vangelis Vitalis (R) speaks during a press conference in Wellington, New Zealand, March 11, 2021. New Zealand is calling for more global participation to ensure the free and quick flow of vaccines, syringes, face masks and other related medical equipment across border to fight the COVID-19. (Photo: Xinhua)

WELLINGTON, March 11 (Xinhua) -- New Zealand is calling for more global participation to ensure the free and quick flow of vaccines, syringes, face masks and other related medical equipment across border to fight the COVID-19.

"Our message is that to deal with a global pandemic like this, we need more global participation," Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) 2021 Senior Officials' Meeting chair Vangelis Vitalis told a press conference on Thursday.

"It is a depressing, objective fact that across our region, many (APEC) economies impose tariffs, even on vaccines," he said. He encouraged the APEC members to "do something about medical products as we move them around and how can we ensure vaccine that flow across the region as quickly as possible."

The New Zealand government had waived the import tax on all medical and hygiene imports needed for its COVID-19 response last year, including a 5 percent tariff on soap.

The tariff exemption is just a temporary measure and it is unclear at this stage how long the scheme will remain in place.

New Zealand is hosting APEC 2021 which will be one of the largest ongoing virtual events in the world, with more than 300 meetings conducted across New Zealand.

APEC is a regional economic forum established in 1989 to leverage the growing interdependence of the Asia-Pacific. APEC's 21 members aim to create greater prosperity for the people of the region by promoting balanced, inclusive, sustainable, innovative and secure growth and by accelerating regional economic integration.