[lemma=□] □
[lemma=gap] □
Internal to the alliance , the gap in economic and military capabilities between the United States and Japan has narrowed . The gaps in economic development between the eastern coastal regions and the inland regions of the center and the west are expanding , and the problem of poverty , particularly in the inland regions of the center and the west , has become a major issue . Market-driven economic integration and the gaps in economic capacities have shaped the " two legs " of APEC diplomacy : 1 ) Trade and investment liberalization and facilitation , primarily the lowering of tariff and non-tariff trade barriers in East Asia , the creation of a non-discriminatory investment regime , and measures to reduce regulatory and procedural barriers to trade ; 2 ) Economic and technical cooperation , dubbed " Eco-Tech , " primarily promoting economic and human resource development in APEC 's poorer economies .