Asia Pacific Face-Off is the thirteenth in the Canada Among Nations series published by The Norman Paterson School of International Affairs. In recognition of the government's designation of 1997 as Canada's Year of Asia Pacific, the volume focuses on aspects of Canada's relations with the countries in this region. During 1997 Canada will host the annual Leaders Meeting of the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) forum and a number of apec ministerial meetings. As many of our contributors suggest, Canada has not yet acquired much of a presence in the Asia Pacific region, and we have some distance to go before our status as an Asia Pacific nation is taken seriously by our APEC partners. The high profile of Team Canada missions should not be mistakenly interpreted as evidence of concerted Canadian policy with respect to Asia Pacific. In terms of educational or economic linkages with the countries of APEC, Canada could take lessons from Australia, a country whose policies our authors compare with Canada's.

Fen Hampson is Chancellor's Professor and director of The Norman Paterson School of International Affairs, Carleton University.

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