US President Donald Trump would skip the gathering, having returned to the US on Thursday after meeting Xi in Busan. The leaders’ summit is taking place in South Korea’s Gyeongju and will feature the participation of 21 APEC member economies, guest nations, and representatives of international organisations
The Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation leaders’ summit commenced on Friday, providing a platform for direct interaction between Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi, known for her anti-China rhetoric, and Chinese President Xi Jinping.
US President Donald Trump would skip the gathering, having returned to the US on Thursday after meeting Xi in Busan. The leaders’ summit is taking place in South Korea’s Gyeongju and will feature the participation of 21 APEC member economies, guest nations, and representatives of international organisations.
The theme for this year’s summit is “Towards a More Connected Resilient Region and Beyond.” South Korea’s presidential office has said that participating leaders are expected to discuss ways to make the Asia-Pacific region “more open, dynamic and resilient.”
What’s on the agenda?
As the host of this year’s APEC meetings, South Korea aims to secure a joint statement—tentatively called the “Gyeongju Declaration” that reflects the shared vision of all participating economies while showcasing its own priorities, including artificial intelligence (AI) development and responses to demographic shifts.
During the two sessions, APEC leaders will consider proposals from their foreign and trade ministers on how to enhance prosperity across the Asia-Pacific region. Key areas of focus include strengthening supply chain resilience, advancing digital transformation, and deepening regional cooperation.
Much attention will be given to whether the leaders can build consensus on the future direction of international trade, amid varying perspectives on the global free trade framework anchored in multilateralism and the WTO system.
In recent years, the majority of APEC members have reaffirmed their support for free trade and their commitment to a rules-based multilateral trading order under the WTO.
Takaichi-Xi meeting
Takaichi met with Trump on Tuesday, who welcomed her pledge to accelerate a military buildup and signed a series of deals on trade and rare earths.
Beijing will be wary of the US and Japan forging closer ties under Takaichi, analysts say, seeing it as a potential shift in the balance of power across the Asia-Pacific region.
China’s Foreign Minister Wang Yi said that Xi is expected to meet Takaichi during the summit, adding, “China has noticed several positive signals coming out of Japan’s new cabinet.
With inputs from agencies
End of Article