APEC Latest: Kamala Harris Convenes Meeting on North Korea

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(Bloomberg) — China and the US are seeking to win over nations to their vision for the region at the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit in Bangkok on Friday, the final meeting in a week of international meetings in Southeast Asia this week.

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US Vice President Kamala Harris will address the APEC CEO Summit at around midday local time, one day after Chinese leader Xi Jinping delivered written remarks to the gathering in which he said the Asia-Pacific was “no one’s backyard.”

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At recent Group of 20 meetings, Xi used the event to hold friendly meetings with a range of Western nations with whom China had previously experienced diplomatic tensions. Xi is expected to meet with New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern later on Friday at APEC.

Key Developments

(All times local)

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Kamala Harris Convenes Meeting on North Korea (1:29 p.m.)

US Vice President Kamala Harris will convene a meeting to consult on North Korea’s test on Friday of an intercontinental ballistic missile, according to a White House official. 

Participants will include leaders from Japan, South Korea, Australia, New Zealand and Canada. 

Thai Police Used Rubber Bullets, Arrested 10 Protesters (12:02 pm)

Thai police fired rubber bullets at about 350 protesters  have arrested 10 demonstrators and five police officers have been injured in the scuffle, said police spokesman Archayon Kraithong.

Police also fired rubber bullets against the gathering of more than 350 protesters in self defense, he said.

‘Huge Mistake’ to Split World Into US-China Blocs: Macron (11:52 a.m.)

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French President Emmanuel Macron told the APEC CEO summit on Friday that there should be a “single global order,” encouraging world leaders to avoid splitting the globe between the US and China.

Macron said an increasing number of countries were being put in a position where they had to choose between an allegiance to Beijing or Washington. “This is a huge mistake,” he said, adding that countries should compete but also respect sovereignty. 

The French leader, who attended the Group of 20 summit in Bali, Indonesia, also said he would seek a global consensus to ask Russia to stop its war in Ukraine.

Thai PM Urges Focus on Sustainable Growth (11:12 a.m.)

Opening the APEC leaders summit, Thailand’s Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-Ocha urged APEC leaders to look beyond post-pandemic recovery efforts and focus on building a sustainable and inclusive world.

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“APEC must look beyond recovery from the pandemic and toward rejuvenating and revitalizing the environment to boost resilience and ensure a more inclusive and sustainable growth,” Prayuth told the two-day summit that’s focused on issues ranging from high inflation, food and energy prices, growing inequality and challenges of climate change.

Protesters Demonstrate Against Xi, Prayuth (10:53 a.m.)

Protesters carrying flags and “Wanted” posters of Chinese President Xi Jinping and Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-Ocha scuffled with police near Bangkok’s Democracy Monument, which is some distance from the summit venue. Officers with shields pushed back protesters who tried to overturn a police car, TV footage shows.

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Thailand Pushes for Asia-Wide Trade Deal (8:00 a.m.)

As host of the APEC leader’s meeting, Thailand will push for progress of the Free Trade Area of the Asia-Pacific, government spokesman Anucha Burapachaisri said in a statement Friday. 

A meeting of the APEC ministers has already endorsed a proposal to move forward with the regional trade pact, known as FTAAP, which was first proposed in 2006 to liberalize tariffs and other barriers to trade among member economies.

Thailand sees the trade pact as key to dismantling unnecessary trade and investment barriers, increasing the competitiveness of APEC economies and reducing the economic development and trade gap, Anucha said.

Harris to Defend US’s Indo-Pacific Strategy (7:00 a.m.)

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Vice President Kamala Harris in a speech to business executives will defend the Biden administration’s Indo-Pacific strategy against skeptics who question the US commitment to the region and economic staying power, according to a White House official.

Harris will directly address those critics in remarks she is set to deliver Friday afternoon in Bangkok to an audience of several hundred business executives from the Indo-Pacific region and US.

—With assistance from Kristine Servando, Janine Phakdeetham, Suttinee Yuvejwattana, Patpicha Tanakasempipat, Isabel Reynolds and Rebecca Choong Wilkins.