Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation Forum Concludes in Lima, Peru
Official photo of the APEC Economic Leaders caps off the year 2024, held in the Peruvian capital, Lima. Photo: X/ @apecperu
November 16, 2024 Hour: 3:26 pm
The leaders of the 21 economies that make up the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Forum withdrew from the Lima Convention Center on Saturday, following the organization’s summit in the Peruvian capital.
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The next APEC forum will be held in the Republic of Korea, while China is excited to host the 2026 summit.
The Lima summit was attended by leaders from China, the United States and South Korea, as well as Prime Ministers Justin Trudeau of Canada and Ishiba Ishiba of Japan, among other representatives from 21 economies in the Pacific basin.
The meeting concludes with important bilateral and multilateral agreements. Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba and Chinese President Xi Jinping agreed on Friday to strengthen “mutually beneficial” ties at the first meeting between the two leaders, held yesterday as part of the APEC leaders’ meeting.
“China, together with Japan, wishes to defend the important common understanding that we will be partners and not threats to each other, we will move forward integrally in our mutually beneficial strategic relationship and build a Sino-Chinese relationshipJapanese constructive and stable that meets the demands of the new era,” said Xi Jinping.
In other economic matters, Singapore’s Prime Minister, Lawrence Wong, called on the leaders of the Forum to take steps towards the creation of a joint free trade area, “even if it is difficult,” and to demonstrate that the project is not an entelechia, An FTA for all APEC economies was a goal of the group 20 years ago, although it does not appear to be a priority of the alliance today.
On last day of the Forum, the Peruvian president Dina Boluarte received the 21 presidents Member economies of the APEC Forum at its central summit meeting in Lima for a week.
The Head of State led APEC leaders’ retreat to discuss key issues for the 2024 edition of the meeting, including inclusion, sustainable growth and digital innovation, and signed the consensus documents drawn up at previous ministerial meetings, as well as a final declaration.
Author: ACJ
Source: EFE // RPP // Sputnik
