The leaders of the 21 member economies of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) group have called for enhanced free trade and greater connectivity. However, the 35-year-old organization faces uncertainty with the election of a new U.S. president.
The final statement issued after a week of meetings did not directly reference Donald Trump’s election on November 5 but highlighted challenges in the global trade and investment environment. The statement said, “Effective multilateral cooperation is even more important in this context,” and reaffirmed their commitment to ensuring the Asia-Pacific remains the world’s most dynamic and interconnected region.
The 19-point statement called for joint action on climate change, food and energy security, World Trade Organization (WTO) reform, and supply chain efficiency. These priorities align with goals previously adopted by APEC in past years. During the meetings, Chinese President Xi Jinping announced that China will host the APEC Summit in 2026. This announcement follows South Korea’s turn in 2025 and Vietnam’s in 2027.
Xi stated, “We look forward to working with all parties to deepen Asia-Pacific cooperation for the benefit of the people in the region.”