Oct 8 (Reuters) - The United States maintained it hopes to seal an ambitious trade pact on schedule by year-end despite resistance in some countries and the absence of President Barack Obama from a regional summit that is ironing out differences on the pact. U.S. Trade Representative Michael Froman said on Tuesday that world trade ministers may discuss the U.S.-proposed Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) on the sidelines of a World Trade Organization meeting that starts on Dec. 3, with a goal of reaching a deal by year-end.

BALI, Indonesia, Oct. 8 (Xinhua) -- The 21st informal economic leaders' meeting of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) released on Tuesday a statement, supporting a multilateral trading system and the 9th Ministerial Conference of the World Trade Organization (WTO). "We reaffirm our commitment to the strengthening of the multilateral trading system and to the successful outcomes of the 9th Ministerial Conference (MC9) of the WTO in Bali," said the statement.

BEIJING, Oct. 7 (Xinhua) -- Member states of the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) wrapped up a three-day ministerial meeting Sunday in a rather low key on the Indonesian resort island of Bali. In sharp contrast to the fanfare and media frenzy about the TPP in some member countries three days ago, the gathering, parallel to a ministerial meeting of the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC), ended hastily without any substantial progress.

HANOI, Oct. 7 (Xinhua) -- Vietnam's rubber sector expects to bring home 4.5 billion U.S. dollars from rubber exports in 2013, higher than 4.26 billion dollars recorded in 2012, according to the Vietnam Rubber Association (VRA) on Monday. Rubber now ranks the eighth among the country's top export commodities after garment and textiles, telephones, crude oil, electronics products, footwear, seafood and machinery.

Asserting that India will soon be breaching their Aggregate Measurement of Support (AMS) commitments to WTO due to its new food security programme, the newly elected Director General, Roberto Azevedo on Monday sought a positive solution to the issue before the Bali Ministerial to be held in December as some countries have expressed concern over the procurement and distribution of highly subsidised foodgrains.

Vietnam's trade with members of the European Union (EU) is predicted to reach $40 billion in 2013 with a trade surplus of over $17 billion or an annual increase of 21 percent. In the first nine months this year, the country's trade with the EU was recorded at $28.5 billion, according to the Ministry of Industry and Trade (MIT). In the nine-month period, the nation's exports to the EU hit $20 billion and imports from the EU were estimated at $8.5 billion.

AFP - The World Trade Organization (WTO) appealed Saturday for support from Asia-Pacific nations to help clinch a deal on easing global trade constraints at crunch December talks, saying agreement is "clearly within reach". Roberto Azevedo urged the 21-member Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) grouping to throw its weight behind the negotiations so that the WTO can agree a deal in time for its ninth ministerial meeting in early December in Indonesia's Bali island.

The partial US government shutdown has forced a delay in negotiations on a free trade deal with the European Union. EU officials said on Friday that US government representatives said they will not be able to travel to Brussels next week. The US and the EU negotiators were due to hold a second round of talks from Monday to Thursday. They will reschedule the discussions once the stalemate is over at the US Congress.

Thailand should be able to penetrate not only the Chilean market, but also that country's 60 bilateral trade partners, after signing a free-trade agreement with the South American nation, according to the Trade Negotiations Department.

BALI, Indonesia (Xinhua) - The World Trade Organization (WTO) is hoping that crucial talks during APEC meetings will help it put together sweeping trade facilitation measures before a December deadline in what would be its first global deal in nearly two decades, the new head of the WTO said here on Saturday. WTO Director General Roberto Azevedo, who took the helm of the WTO last month and is attending the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) meetings here, had a clear message to the leaders - fast track discussions.