An event touted as potentially bringing huge benefits to the state started Wednesday in Montana, with trade ministers of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation group meeting in Big Sky, one of four meetings set in the United States this year.

U. S. Sen. Max Baucus, D-Mont., helped bring the meeting to Montana.

Baucus gave a welcome speech Wednesday night to the ministers of the countries that participate in APEC, and urged them to look at the small and medium-sized businesses from Montana as examples of what could be done to improve trade.

“It is only through exchanges like these that we can learn from and teach one another. ” Baucus said.

The venue, running from Wednesday through Saturday at Big Fork, includes touring green energy facilities, discussions with private sector representatives, and direct discussions with small- and medium-sized businesses.

APEC is a group of 21 Asia-Pacific member economies, including the United States, Canada, China, Japan, Korea, Hong Kong and Taiwan, that have joined together to encourage economic growth, cooperation, trade and investment in the Asia-Pacific region.

Baucus announced earlier this month that more than 100 Montana businesses and hundreds of other businesses from across the United States would attend the meetings, a level never before seen at an APEC meeting.

“I’m so proud to welcome our APEC trading partners to Montana, because more trade means more jobs, ” Baucus said. “Our Montana ranchers, farmers and business owners make the best products, and they also make the best ambassadors to represent all the great things Montana has to offer. ”