WELLINGTON – New Zealand is pushing for nations around the world to end tariffs on face masks, syringes and other supplies needed to battle the coronavirus pandemic.
New Zealand is making the push as this year's virtual host of APEC, an economic forum of 21 Asia-Pacific countries that includes Japan, China, Canada and the U.S.
New Zealand hopes that forum members will quickly agree on a list of products that should have tariffs removed, and that the list will then be used as a template by other nations around the world. “It is a depressing, objective fact that across our region, many economies impose tariffs, even on vaccines,” said Vangelis Vitalis, the chairperson of APEC’s senior officials’ meeting.