Asia-Pacific leaders condemn war, renew calls for open trade
Bangkok: Leaders from around the Asia-Pacific called for an end to Russia's war on Ukraine and pledged to steer the region's economies toward sustainable growth as they wrapped up summit meetings on Saturday.
Host Thailand garnered a diplomatic coup in managing to bridge divisions among the 21 members of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation forum by saying that most members had condemned the war.
Russia is an APEC member, as is China, which generally has refrained from criticising Moscow. The declaration issued by APEC leaders acknowledged differing views on the war and said the forum, which is devoted largely to promoting trade and closer economic ties, was not a venue for resolving such conflicts.
But it noted that the war and other security issues can "can have significant consequences for the global economy".
The leaders' statement said most members had strongly condemned the war in Ukraine, stressing that it is causing immense human suffering and worsening inflation, supply chain troubles, food insecurity and financial risks.
Like a statement issued by the Group of 20 leading economies in Bali, Indonesia, earlier this week, it echoed the wording of a March 2 United Nations General Assembly resolution that "deplores in the strongest terms the aggression by the Russian Federation against Ukraine and demands its complete and unconditional withdrawal from the territory of Ukraine".
The meetings Saturday wrapped up a flurry of meetings in Southeast Asian countries this week, events that gave leaders opportunities for face-to-face talks that have been rare in the past two years of pandemic precautions.
Much of the activity at such summits occurs on the sidelines and in the interludes before and after the formal meetings.
US Vice President Kamala Harris exchanged brief remarks with Chinese President Xi Jinping on Saturday before the final APEC meeting began, calling for both sides to keep lines of communication open.
Xi said he viewed a meeting earlier in the week with President Joe Biden as a step toward a "next stage" in ties between the two largest economies, according to a Chinese government summary of the meeting.
Relations have deteriorated recently amid friction over trade and technology, Chinese claims on the separately governed island of Taiwan, human rights and other issues. But Harris told Xi the US "does not seek confrontation or conflict with China".
Harris received a "handover" in the form of a symbolic "chalom" bamboo basket from the APEC host, Thai Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha.
The US will host next year's summit in San Francisco, with preliminary meetings to be held in other cities throughout the year. Though summit meetings are often sidetracked by other more urgent concerns, APEC's long-term mission is promoting closer economic ties.
Prayuth opened Saturday's meeting by urging the leaders to push ahead with APEC's agenda of promoting free trade in the Pacific region.
"We have to give priority to turning this plan into action," Prayuth said.
Security risks are not on the formal APEC agenda, but Prayuth said the North's numerous recent missile launches were discussed and "everybody shares concern on that issue".
On Friday, the US Vice President and leaders of Australia, Canada, Japan, New Zealand and South Korea met separately on Friday to voice concerns about the North's launch earlier in the day of an intercontinental ballistic missile that landed near Japan's northern island of Hokkaido.
