What is APEC? Asia-Pacific leaders travel to San Francisco

• The 30th APEC summit is set to convene in San Francisco this month.
• This is the first time the United States has hosted the event since 2011.
• The organization operates based on non-binding commitments.

The 30th APEC summit is set to convene in San Francisco this month, marking the first time the United States has hosted the event since 2011.

KEY HIGHLIGHT:

The primary focus of this year’s APEC summit, like many international gatherings, will revolve around the strategic competition between the United States and China, the world’s two largest economies. All eyes will be on the anticipated bilateral summit between U.S. President Joe Biden and Chinese President Xi Jinping.

A meeting between the two leaders would be their second in-person encounter since Biden assumed office in January 2021, with their first meeting taking place at the G20 summit in Bali a year ago while Xi’s APEC attendance is yet to be confirmed.

APEC OVERVIEW:

APEC serves as an informal dialogue forum aimed at promoting regional economic integration established in Canberra in 1989. Initially comprising 12 members, it has since expanded to involve over 100 meetings annually. APEC’s membership encompasses 38% of the global population (nearly 3 billion people), about 62% of global GDP, and almost half of worldwide trade.

The organization operates based on non-binding commitments, open dialogue, and equal respect for the views of all participants, with decisions made by consensus and commitments undertaken voluntarily.

MEMBERSHIP:

APEC includes 21 member economies: Australia, Brunei, Canada, Chile, China, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Japan, South Korea, Malaysia, Mexico, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, Peru, the Philippines, Russia, Singapore, Taiwan, Thailand, the United States, and Vietnam.

Notably, APEC uniquely groups member economies rather than nations, allowing the participation of Chinese-ruled Hong Kong and self-ruled Taiwan (which China claims as its own). India, the world’s most populous country, is not part of APEC.

ONGOING ISSUES:

Hong Kong’s representation has sparked controversy, with the U.S. host having control over the guest list. The U.S. announced that Hong Kong’s Chief Executive, John Lee, would not be invited due to U.S. human rights sanctions. Russia’s participation has also been divisive following its invasion of Ukraine last year, with President Vladimir Putin not attending the 2022 summit in Bangkok.

The State Department confirmed Putin’s absence from the San Francisco summit. Crafting a final summit declaration this year is expected to be challenging, given divisions among members regarding conflicts in Ukraine and the Middle East.

THEME AND OBJECTIVES:

The United States has chosen the theme “Creating a Resilient and Sustainable Future for All” for APEC 2023, with a focus on an “interconnected, innovative, and inclusive” region and the advancement of a free, fair, and open economic policy agenda.

The U.S. aims to underscore the relative strength of its economy in the face of global challenges, potentially drawing a veiled comparison with China’s economic difficulties following years of remarkable growth. The U.S. will also likely highlight the progress made in the 14-nation Indo-Pacific Economic Framework (IPEF) created to enhance regional engagement after former President Donald Trump withdrew from a regional trade pact in 2017.

TRADITIONS:

Traditionally, APEC leaders wear local attire for a final-day group photo. This tradition began in 1993 when President Bill Clinton introduced bomber jackets in Seattle.

President Barack Obama, however, deviated from this tradition in 2011 by not endorsing the customary Hawaiian shirts, synonymous with holiday attire on the islands. Whether San Francisco follows this tradition remains to be seen.

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