Apec pushes free trade as US digs in
Most Asia-Pacific economies support free and open trade and are moving in that direction, said Carlos Kuriyama, Director of the Policy Support Unit at the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation Secretariat. He made the remarks on the sidelines of APEC’s annual summit in Gyeongju, South Korea, where leaders from the 21 member economies held their first session of a two-day meeting.
Kuriyama told Reuters he expected the summit to produce a joint declaration, noting all members—including the United States—were working intensively toward that goal. He pointed to recent trade progress, such as an upgraded pact between China and the ASEAN bloc, as evidence of regional momentum toward openness.
The US, represented by Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent after President Donald Trump departed following bilateral deals with South Korea and China, has shifted toward tariffs and bilateral agreements. Meanwhile, China has sought to portray itself as a steady advocate for multilateral trade. Kuriyama acknowledged that reaching consensus has become increasingly difficult amid the weakening of global multilateralism, but stressed APEC’s value as a flexible and informal forum where members can discuss solutions without binding commitments. He added that delegations were working around the clock to finalize a shared statement.
