Three decades after the birth of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) forum, profound changes have been observed in the international economic system. Today, this intergovernmental forum faces major challenges in implementing its ambitious agenda in the areas of economic liberalization, trade facilitation and cooperation among member countries. Readers of this book will find in it a detailed diagnosis of its evolution and achievements, but also of the problems it faces in the present "crisis of multilateralism", triggered by the neo-protectionist policies of the United States. In order to achieve this objective, leading national researchers from public and private higher education institutions, most of which are members of the Mexican Consortium of APEC Study Centers, were invited to participate under the leadership of the APEC Study Center located within the University Program for Asian and African Studies (PUEAA) of the National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM).