APEC with REPUBLIC OF CHINA , RUSSIA and the USA
APEC is an international organization in which 21 countries
on the Pacific coast participate, representing 60% of the world economy, and
sharing regional economic, cooperation, trade and investment issues. APEC was
established with the support of the USA and Japan. Its main goal is to achieve
sustainable economic growth in the region. Promoting free and open trade and
investment, strengthening the economic integration of APEC countries and
developing cooperation in some other fields are among the main objectives of
the organization.
The main objectives of the cooperation within the framework
of APEC are to reduce customs tariffs and other trade barriers among the
members, to contribute to the formation of efficient economies on a local
basis, thereby increasing imports significantly.
In the past years, the election of the republican Donald
Trump as president in the USA, and Trump's words to review some regional
alliances have also worried the APEC member countries. Trump's slogan of
abandoning the globalization process and Britain's leaving the EU have also
made the economic coordination process of these alliance member countries
uncertain. In the conditions where the APEC presidents meeting was held,
problems such as unemployment, inflation, low growth rate, poverty and domestic
debts and foreign debts are experienced in many countries. The trade conflicts
between America and China, and between the EU and America, have brought the
world economic process and trade to complex problems. Trump's questioning of
the Paris climate agreement with international trade agreements, his decision
to reduce American imports, increase and support domestic production, and his
decision to push the free trade agreement between America and Mexico and Canada
worried the alliance countries. The partnership agreement signed in 2015 by 12
countries on both sides of the Pacific Ocean, consisting of Australia, Brunei,
Canada, Chile, Malaysia, Japan, Mexico, New Zealand, Peru, Singapore, America
and Vietnam, was not ratified in the American congress and still remains
unclear. It is also difficult for these countries to take decisions for
political and economic change due to poverty and debt and other problems.
Despite the lack of a strictly defined organizational
structure and the differences in the approaches of member economies to APEC,
APEC continues to be a common forum that brings together countries with
different levels of development and therefore different needs. In addition to
economic issues, the APEC agenda includes issues such as the fight against
terrorism and cooperation against epidemics as an indispensable element of
economic development and human welfare in a safe geography.
Again, in recent times, the main objectives of the
cooperation within the framework of APEC are to reduce customs tariffs and
other trade barriers among the members, to contribute to the formation of
efficient economies on a local basis, thereby increasing imports significantly.
The election of the republican Donald Trump as president in
the USA and the words of Trump to review some regional alliances also worry the
APEC member countries. Trump's slogan of abandoning the globalization process
and Britain's leaving the EU also make the economic coordination process of
these alliance member countries uncertain. In the conditions where the APEC
presidents meeting was held, problems such as unemployment, inflation, low
growth rate, poverty and domestic debts and foreign debts are experienced in
many countries. The trade conflicts between America and China, and between the
EU and America, have brought the world economic process and trade to complex
problems. Trump's questioning of the Paris climate agreement with international
trade agreements, his decision to reduce American imports, increase and support
domestic production, and his decision to push the free trade agreement between
America and Mexico and Canada worry the alliance countries. The partnership
agreement signed in 2015 by 12 countries on both sides of the Pacific Ocean,
consisting of Australia, Brunei, Canada, Chile, Malaysia, Japan, Mexico, New
Zealand, Peru, Singapore, America and Vietnam, was not ratified in the American
congress and still remains unclear. It is also difficult for these countries to
take decisions for political and economic change due to poverty and debt and
other problems.
Despite the lack of a strictly defined organizational
structure and the differences in the approaches of member economies to APEC,
APEC continues to be a common forum that brings together countries with
different levels of development and therefore different needs. In addition to
economic issues, the APEC agenda includes issues such as the fight against
terrorism and cooperation against epidemics as an indispensable element of
economic development and human welfare in a safe geography.
Russian President Vladimir Putin stated that the decline in
industrial production and poverty due to the new type of coronavirus pandemic
is an alarming trend and said that Russia is ready to work with all countries
interested in cooperation, including APEC members, to correct the current
situation. The recent war with Ukraine has played an active role in this
process.
At the APEC Summit, due to the disagreement between the USA
and China, the leaders could not reach a consensus on the final declaration,
and for the first time in the last 29 years, a declaration was not published at
a summit among the Pacific countries. Trade wars between the USA and China left
their mark on the summit attended by 21 countries. O'Neill stated that the
whole world is worried about the tension between the global powers, the USA and
China, and noted that although it was not the subject of the summit, the World
Trade Organization disagreements between the two countries also surfaced.
According to the draft statement reviewed by the Associated Press, the United
States wanted it to be emphasized with strong language that it was doing unfair
trade with China, while China wanted the United States to be included in its
unilateralism. While stressing that the Trump administration will not change
its China policy, the US Vice President threatened that they could more than
double the already raised tariffs on goods imported from China. Chinese President
Xi Jinping, on the other hand, defended the Belt and Road project, saying,
"It does not target anyone and does not exclude anyone. It is not a trap,
as some have claimed." Donald Trump claimed that "no one wins in the
Cold War".
In the past, Chinese President Xi Jinping has called for
avoidance of cold war-type conflicts and confrontations in the Asia-Pacific
region. Stressing that China remains determined to advance the reform and
opening-up process, Xi said that they aim to be the driving force in the development
of the Asia-Pacific region.
In the light of all these developments, a few months ago,
Russian President Vladimir Putin said in a written interview to the China Media
Group before the Beijing Winter Olympics, "Our relations are stable,
unaffected by politics and not against a third party." In addition,
pointing out that the relations between Russia and China develop on the basis
of equality, far from the ideological context, Putin said, "Our relations
are stable, unaffected by politics and are not against a third party."
Putin reminded that the Russia-China Good Neighborhood, Friendship and
Cooperation Agreement, signed 20 years ago, is the basic document that
establishes the legal pillar for the long-term and stable development of the
Russia-China Comprehensive Strategic Cooperation and Partnership Relations.
Putin pointed out that on June 28, 2021, they decided to extend the agreement
with Jinping for another 5 years. Again, Putin pointed out that the concept
defined in the Russia-China Good Neighborhood, Friendship and Cooperation
Agreement raised bilateral relations to an unprecedented level and laid the
groundwork for joint progress. Pointing out that China maintains its first
place in the ranking of Russia's commercial partners, Putin noted that despite
the epidemic, the bilateral trade volume reached 140 billion US dollars in
2021, breaking a historical record. Stating that China has strategic partners
on the international stage, Putin reminded that they have a similar stance with
China in most of the global issues. Putin emphasized that they maintain close
coordination under multilateral organizations and mechanisms such as the UN,
BRICS, Shanghai Cooperation Organization, G20, APEC, and the East Asia Summit,
and that this plays a role in reinforcing the world against mixed conditions
and that they have an unshakable economic relationship with China.
It was also announced in the past months that the USA will
host the APEC Summit to be held in 2023. He emphasized that the summit is very
important for the USA and its allies in the region to maintain the independent
and free economic regime of the Indo-Pacific region. The APEC Summit, which
will be hosted by Thailand in November this year, is seen as a meeting where
the race between the USA and China is reflected in the international arena,
especially due to global economic competition and the problems in the
Indo-Pacific region.
In the news made a few days ago, Wang Yi, Member of the
State Council of China and Minister of Foreign Affairs, said that global
governance has entered the "Asian time" and that the world should pay
more attention to Asia. Wang Yi, Member of the Chinese State Council and
Minister of Foreign Affairs, held a video conference meeting with Prak Sokhonn,
Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs of Cambodia. Stating that
peace has taken a serious blow and development is getting harder in today's
world, Wang Yi put forward the Chinese solution to accelerate the creation of a
more just and rational global governance system, citing Chinese President Xi
Jinping's global development initiative and global security initiative. He
stated that these initiatives have received widespread support from the
international community, especially in Asian countries. Starting next month,
China, Cambodia, Indonesia and Thailand will attend the BRICS Leaders' Meeting,
meetings on cooperation in East Asia, the G20 Leaders' Summit, and the G20
Leaders' Summit, respectively. Reminding that he will host the Informal Meeting
of APEC Leaders and that global governance has entered the "Asian
time", Wang Yi said that the international community expects Asia to play
a leading role in global governance. Wang Yi said that China, along with
Cambodia, Indonesia and Thailand, is ready to raise strong voices from Asia
beneficial to peace and development, signal support for multilateralism, bring
greater stability to the region and the world, and make Asian contributions to
counter global threats. expressed. Again, Wang Yi reflects the determination of
the world countries to accelerate regional and multilateral cooperation, as
well as in line with the common intentions of the world countries to oppose
inter-bloc conflicts and promote stability and prosperity. According to China,
the statement that today's world should pay more attention to Asia, respect
Asia's attitude and benefit from Asia's experiences, gave me the feeling that
China's great power state may change towards being a superpower. However,
Assoc. Dr. Serdar Yılmaz said to me, 'There will be no superpower from the
East.' It evolved into an idea that was shaped even more with the expression.
In the light of the research I have done and the information
I have gained, I can say that China and the USA will undoubtedly affect the
future of APEC and Russia and the USA will play an active role in China's OBOR
project, by inflaming the race to become a superpower.
GİZEM YAREN SÖNMEZ
MUĞLA SITKI KOÇMAN ÜNİVERSİTESİ
SİYASET BİLİMİ VE ULUSLARARASI İLİŞKİLER
BÖLGESEL ANALİZ TOPLULUĞU
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