In a congenial environment members of Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) gathered during its 35th annual summit in Lima, Peru from November 15 to 16, 2024, including the US and China, the first major global summit since U.S. President-elect Donald Trump’s election victory. The communique issued after the meeting was quite invigorating for the world and specifically for the people of member countries who form 2.9 billion inhabitants and contribute 60% to global GDP. President Xi of China and Joe Biden from the US remained the centre of attention. While President Xi seemed cautious and focussed on US-China relations, much wasn’t expected from President Biden who attended the summit for the last time. The Russian President was represented by his deputy Prime Minister, since Peru is a member of ICC who has issued arrest warrants for President Putin. APEC brings some interesting dynamics to world politics as it was formed in the backdrop of successful ASEAN experience and with the aim of forging peace, development, prosperity and equal participation for all member states through consistent regional cooperation.
This time also affirmations were made with three thematic priorities: Trade and investment for inclusive and interconnected growth; innovation and digitalization to promote transition to the formal and global economy; and sustainable growth for resilient development. These efforts would be focussed on the needs and aspirations of people of the region.
There was reiteration of commitment to working together to deliver a free, open, fair, non-discriminatory, transparent, inclusive, and predictable trade and investment environment.
APEC comprises of a large prosperous community which is somehow confronted with myriads of challenges. Some of them are the same as the other parts of the world face yet some are specific to the Asia Pacific region.
The one foremost specific to the region is the Great Powers rivalry that has its root embedded in the area surrounded by the member countries. While there is a strong desire for economic cooperation between the Aisa Pacific community, it is faced with the tussle that the two big brothers of the region, China and the US are engaged in. For impeding China’s Belt and Road Initiative, the US came up with Indo-Pacific strategy, a philosophy of “minilateralism” forming small groups of like-minded nations to form a bulwark against China’s rise in the region.
The contrast that APEC and Indo-Pacific strategy bear within cautioned Chinese President Xi, who in his meeting with the US President Joe Biden stressed on four constants: all centred on China-US relations.
Cognisant of unpredictability; a hallmark of the incoming US President Donald Trump and his rhetoric against China, especially in the domain of mutual trade, President Xi cleared his priorities with the US. According to him the unchanged facts between the two countries, from China’s side included stable, healthy and sustainable China-US relationship, commitment to mutual respect, peaceful coexistence and win-win cooperation, principles of resolutely safeguarding China’s sovereignty, security and development interests as well as China’s desire to carry forward traditional friendship between the people of both countries.
Decoding what President Xi meant was underpinning the desire to ask the US to stop what it is trying to achieve vis-a-vis China’s growing influence in the region.
In a subtle manner it was a message from the Chinese side that noninterference in China’s internal matters, especially its territorial disputes and refraining from spread of disinformation about China would lead to the path of peaceful co-existence between the two countries.
The sustainability of people to people contact will strengthen mutual stakes and enhance capability to negotiate challenges that the region is marred with. President Xi in his talk, also highlighted key areas for cooperation such as climate change effects, renewable energy and Artificial Intelligence, in which both countries can bring common good to not only the people of region but also the world in general.
The message was loud and clear to the incoming US administration that China would forge ahead with its interests and goals so collaboration must be preferred over competition.
President Xi also remarked on the viability of forums like APEC which are meant for the collective good of certain communities, yet their potential is curtailed due to rifts and confrontations between member states. Tall claims and big commitments are made during such summits, yet efforts on ground sometime lead to nothing but hurdles in the way to prosperity. He termed this phenomenon as Small Yard, High Fences.
Most of the multilateral organisations that have members with differences and disputes in between are subjected to such phenomenon wherein tall claims and resolute pacts are made for progress, but their effective functioning is hurdled because of the differences that exist between states.
Lest we forget SAARC is one such example which has lost its efficacy grossly due to the Indian attitude of hegemonistic ambitions in South Asia.
The APEC is so far an effective organisation with countries aiming to bring good not only to their own people but also to the people outside of it. Although the US is skeptical of China’s growing influence in the region yet it also likes to remain part of this forum and aims to work together. It also seems to be an attempt to remain engaged with the member countries through such multilateral platforms so that its own influence is not diminished.
Thats a good sign as it affords opportunity to both China and the US to be engaged and communicate with each other; a lesson that SAARC needs to grasp.Â
