What's it all about, APEC?
That's the question each time leaders from the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation hold their annual summit.
Wags have mocked the summit as "four adjectives in search of a noun" or "aging politicians enjoying cocktails." Other critics call APEC ineffectual, or say its emphasis on pushing free trade comes at the expense of developing nations and the poor.
Officials of the 21-member forum insist the meeting is more than just a talk shop.
Still, this year's gathering in Busan was typical: It focused on how to respond to trouble within the WTO -- an issue that lies outside the confines of APEC and that the APEC summit covered five years ago.
After six days of preparatory meetings by senior officials, ministers, and leaders including US President George W. Bush and Chinese President Hu Jintao (胡錦濤), the summit on Saturday called for a breakthrough in the WTO's current global trade round, stalled over disputes about reducing farming subsidies, mostly in Europe.
But no one is certain that anyone outside APEC will listen -- even though the group's collective clout includes seven of the world's largest economies and almost half the world's trade.
Critics have long had a field day with the consensus-driven APEC, which was founded in 1989 to "further enhance economic growth and prosperity for the region and to strengthen the Asia-Pacific community." APEC operates on the principle of unanimous agreement, with all decisions and statements being ultimately nonbinding.
"We know that it's voluntary to be part of APEC but this voluntarism must show some results," said Julio Millan, chief executive of Mexican conglomerate Coraza Corp Azteca, who with other corporate leaders lobbies the forum through the APEC Business Advisory Council.
Defenders argue that APEC's uniqueness lies in being a forum for dialogue between government and business. It also provides a place for APEC leaders to speak with each other individually. Sideline meetings are such a mainstay of APEC summits that some fret they overshadow the larger agenda.
"I worry sometimes that the developed countries treat this as a bilateral meeting event," said Roberto Romulo, a former Philippine foreign secretary.
One thing APEC leaders agreed on in Busan: They'll gather again next year, in Hanoi, Vietnam.
FREEDOM OF NAVIGATION: The UK would continue to reinforce ties with Taiwan ‘in a wide range of areas’ as a part of a ‘strong unofficial relationship,’ a paper said The UK plans to conduct more freedom of navigation operations in the Taiwan Strait and the South China Sea, British Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs David Lammy told the British House of Commons on Tuesday. British Member of Parliament Desmond Swayne said that the Royal Navy’s HMS Spey had passed through the Taiwan Strait “in pursuit of vital international freedom of navigation in the South China Sea.” Swayne asked Lammy whether he agreed that it was “proper and lawful” to do so, and if the UK would continue to carry out similar operations. Lammy replied “yes” to both questions. The
‘OF COURSE A COUNTRY’: The president outlined that Taiwan has all the necessary features of a nation, including citizens, land, government and sovereignty President William Lai (賴清德) discussed the meaning of “nation” during a speech in New Taipei City last night, emphasizing that Taiwan is a country as he condemned China’s misinterpretation of UN Resolution 2758. The speech was the first in a series of 10 that Lai is scheduled to give across Taiwan. It is the responsibility of Taiwanese citizens to stand united to defend their national sovereignty, democracy, liberty, way of life and the future of the next generation, Lai said. This is the most important legacy the people of this era could pass on to future generations, he said. Lai went on to discuss
AMENDMENT: Climate change is expected to increase the frequency of high-temperature days, affecting economic productivity and public health, experts said The Central Weather Administration (CWA) is considering amending the Meteorological Act (氣象法) to classify “high temperatures” as “hazardous weather,” providing a legal basis for work or school closures due to extreme heat. CWA Administrator Lu Kuo-chen (呂國臣) yesterday said the agency plans to submit the proposed amendments to the Executive Yuan for review in the fourth quarter this year. The CWA has been monitoring high-temperature trends for an extended period, and the agency contributes scientific data to the recently established High Temperature Response Alliance led by the Ministry of Environment, Lu said. The data include temperature, humidity, radiation intensity and ambient wind,
SECOND SPEECH: All political parties should work together to defend democracy, protect Taiwan and resist the CCP, despite their differences, the president said President William Lai (賴清德) yesterday discussed how pro-Taiwan and pro-Republic of China (ROC) groups can agree to maintain solidarity on the issue of protecting Taiwan and resisting the Chinese Communist Party (CCP). The talk, delivered last night at Taoyuan’s Hakka Youth Association, was the second in a series of 10 that Lai is scheduled to give across Taiwan. Citing Taiwanese democracy pioneer Chiang Wei-shui’s (蔣渭水) slogan that solidarity brings strength, Lai said it was a call for political parties to find consensus amid disagreements on behalf of bettering the nation. All political parties should work together to defend democracy, protect Taiwan and resist
RSS