APEC Summit

The 2018 Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) meeting was recently held in Papua New Guinea. The meeting was a not a success. As Reuters reported, “the leaders failed to agree on a communique at a summit in Papua New Guinea on Sunday for the first time in their history as deep divisions between the United States and China over trade and investment stymied cooperation.”

Instructors, click the link below to download this week’s lecture for use in your classroom. The deck contains a writing prompt and a debate question as well as other assessment questions.

Download the PowerPoint for APEC Summit

Links

“China hoped for a soft power win at APEC, instead Xi Jinping left dissatisfied”
https://www.cnn.com/2018/11/18/asia/china-apec-analysis-intl/index.html

“US-China discord dominates APEC summit in Papua New Guinea”
https://jakartaglobe.id/news/us-china-discord-dominates-apec-summit-papua-new-guinea

“Xi, Pence trade barbs over trade war at APEC summit while selling visions for regional cooperation”
https://www.politico.com/story/2018/11/17/xi-jinping-mike-pence-trade-apec-1000495

“APEC summit ends without agreement in Papua New Guinea”
https://www.plenglish.com/index.php?o=rn&id=36014&SEO=apec-summit-ends-without-agreement-in-papua-new-guinea

“Trade war will have no winners: Chinese President Xi Jinping”
https://www.tribuneindia.com/news/world/trade-war-will-have-no-winners-chinese-president-xi-jinping/684601.html

“Despite APEC drama, China is winning the fight for the Pacific, step by patient step”
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2018/nov/20/despite-apec-drama-china-is-winning-the-fight-for-the-pacific-step-by-patient-step

“Commentary: APEC reveals irreconcilable visions of the future between US, China”
https://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/commentary/apec-no-joint-statement-china-united-states-pence-xi-jinping-10948976

“After APEC tensions, expect ‘extra pressure’ when Xi Jinping and Donald Trump meet at G20”
https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/2174026/after-apec-tensions-expect-extra-pressure-when-xi-jinping-and

“China-US tensions on display at APEC”
https://gulfnews.com/opinion/editorials/china-us-tensions-on-display-at-apec-1.60456331

“Make APEC boring again”
hhttp://www.thejakartapost.com/academia/2018/11/21/make-apec-boring-again.html

Assessment

• Writing: What tensions were evident at APEC between China and the United States?
• Debate: APEC has largely outlived its usefulness as an international organization.
• Poll: Do you agree that, without a decrease in tensions between the United States and China, greater economic cooperation in the Pacific is unlikely?
• Short Answer: How did states like Australia fare at the recent APEC summit?

Current events quiz:

1) This year’s APEC summit was hosted by what country?

a. China
b. America
c. Switzerland
d. Papua New Guinea

2) Which two countries’ relationships were the focus of most of the discussion at this year’s APEC summit?

a. U.S. and Indonesia
b. U.S. and China
c. China and Indonesia
d. China and Vietnam

3) Who is the president of China?

a. Xi Jinping
b. Wang Yi
c. Yang Jiechi
d. Hua Chunying

4) Papua New guinea is the poorest of all the APEC countries. (T/F)

5) Donald Trump went to the APEC summit this year. (T/F)

6) APEC currently has 21 members. (T/F)

Answers:

1) D

2) B

3) A

4) T

5) F

6) T

Enjoy using Lecture Spark? Answer this 5-question survey to help us innovate!