APEC Economic Leaders’ Week kicks off in Thailand
BANGKOK – The Asia-pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Forum Week opens in the Thai capital of Bangkok on Monday.
From Nov. 14 to 19, the Queen Sirikit National Convention Center will host meetings of senior APEC officials, ministerial meetings, plenary sessions, exhibitions and a number of other events related to the forum.
It will end with a meeting of APEC Economic Leaders’ meeting on Nov. 18-19, which will be attended by representatives of 21 economies.
The opening ceremony of the series of events will be chaired by Thai Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha.
The authorities of the kingdom will present the biocircular green economy model developed and adopted as a national strategy for sustainable development in the post-covid period.
The initiative focuses on economic growth based on efficient use of resources, reduction of waste, and carbon emissions.
It combines socio-economic tasks that all countries are solving and the goals of environmental protection, combating climate change, the green transition, and the development of renewable energy sources.
Forum members
The Thai government repeatedly stressed its full readiness to host the APEC forum.
In late October, the authorities, including the Prime Minister, reported that all economies accepted the invitation of the kingdom.
Every country was free to decide on the level of delegation, which would represent it at the forum depending on its internal situation.
As a result, the leaders of Australia, Vietnam, Brunei, Indonesia, Canada, China, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, Singapore, the Philippines, Chile and Japan, as well as the head of the administration of Hong Kong, confirmed their personal presence.
However, Malaysia, Mexico, Peru, Russia, United States, Taiwan and South Korea chose for lower-level representation.
The Russian Federation will be represented by First Deputy Prime Minister Andrey Belousov, and the United States by Vice President Kamala Harris.
Three representatives of countries that are not members of the forum will also come to APEC at the invitation of the Prime Minister: Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen, French President Emmanuel Macron, and Saudi Prime Minister and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman Al Saud.
The leaders of China, Saudi Arabia and Vietnam, in addition to visiting the APEC forum, will meet with the Prime Minister of Thailand at the Government House, where they will hold bilateral talks.
About APEC
APEC consists of 19 countries and two territories. In particular these are 12 founders: Australia, Brunei, Indonesia, Canada, Malaysia, New Zealand, Singapore, USA, Thailand, the Philippines, South Korea and Japan.
Other participants include China (entered in 1991), Mexico and Papua New Guinea (1993), Chile (1994), Russia, Vietnam and Peru (1998).
In 1991, two Chinese territories joined APEC: Hong Kong and Taiwan.
Thailand has taken over the chairmanship of the organization from New Zealand and will hand it over to the US.