PM confident of progress made at APEC

Another APEC summit is over for John Key.

Clear cut results are thin on the ground, but the Prime Minister is happy with this year's meeting in Vladivostok.

A round of high level meetings with the leaders of Russia, Mexico and Chile has left John Key confident of New Zealand's future when it comes to trade markets.

Mexico and Chile appear to be on the same page as New Zealand when it comes to progressing the much-hyped Trans Pacific Partnership deal.

John Key met with the Mexican president this morning and the Chilean president yesterday.

He says both countries agree with us that a high quality deal is needed – and Chile is an interesting case because they already have free trade agreements with all 11 countries involved in the TPP.

"Ironically, the reason they are signing up is because they want to make progress on the existing FTA's that they have and that underscores the New Zealand position which is, 'we need a high quality deal'."

He says the TPP talks are on the right track and insists he's getting good signals from other leaders about the potential.

Mr Key earlier delivered a hard hitting message to leaders at APEC, calling on them to end costly agricultural subsidies.

He’s been pressing the flesh with the leaders of many countries and pushing forward both the free trade agreement with Russia and the TPP.

"I think it's been well received. New Zealand is seen as the gold standard in this stuff. We're a small country and we've got to be realistic about our level of influence and in so many areas I think we're seen as doing things well but in trade we're seen as the leader."

But with no deals signed off and no clear mandate for a way forward, Mr Key has to hope that in the end actions will be greater than words.

Tonight Mr Key heads to Japan where the main event will be a visit to the tsunam- hit region north of Tokyo.

He also hopes to call his Australian counterpart this morning to express his condolences at the death of her father.

Julia Gillard returned home from APEC in Vladivostok after hearing the news.

It’s the second week in a row she’s had to leave an international event early, last week she left the Pacific Island Forum following the deaths of five soldiers in Afghanistan.

Mr Key didn’t get a chance to talk to her before she left, but plans to call her this morning.

Photo: Getty Images