Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Adam Gustafson of the Energy and Natural Resources Division (ENRD) issued the following statement following his service as the head of the United States’ delegation for a Ministerial Meeting on Forestry, part of a 2026 senior officials’ meeting of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) in China. In addition to ENRD, the U.S. delegation included the State Department, Fish and Wildlife Service, and the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative.
United States’ delegation to the 2026 APEC Ministerial Meeting on Forestry.
“I was glad to serve as the head of the U.S. delegation to the APEC Ministerial on Forestry. The United States achieved some key successes at this meeting. We negotiated a joint ministerial statement that reflected the U.S. priorities in balance with the priorities of the other APEC members.
“I also highlighted the United States’ commitment to fighting illegal timber trafficking, the subject of President Trump’s Executive Order 14223. As evidence of our commitment, I described recent guilty pleas we secured from a yacht builder and paper products manufacturer who profited from illegal forest products. The illegal timber trade hurts American businesses by creating an uneven playing field. We are resetting of our global relationships to put America first. And we are working with our partners in APEC to break down barriers for business; support job growth; and boost fair, legal, and reciprocal trade, including in the wood products industry.
“ENRD stands ready to prosecute environmental crimes, and we co-chair an interagency group focused on improving timber trafficking investigations. Our Division is also part of a Trade Fraud Task Force to help us work across the government to prosecute smugglers and those who would try to evade tariffs and duties. We have recently reached historic agreements and brokered partnerships with nations and APEC members to support enforcement efforts.
“Thus, while we acknowledge the prevalence of illegal timber trafficking, the United States is leading an increasingly robust response to fight these crimes. My participation at APEC highlighted these encouraging developments and solicited continued engagement from our trading partners in the investigation and prosecution of timber trafficking.”