1. APEC summit disrupted in Bangkok due to North Korean ICBM test
Tags: Summits International News
The 29th summit meeting of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) being held in Bangkok, Thailand was briefly interrupted on 18 November 2022 as they condemned the North Korea for its fresh test of an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM). ICBM is a land based nuclear capable ballistic missile with a range of 5,600 Km or more.
The two-day (18 & 19 November) summit meeting was inaugurated by the Prime Minister of Thailand Prayuth Chan-ocha on 18 November 2022.
The U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris called an emergency gathering of leaders from Australia, Japan, South Korea, Canada and New Zealand on the sidelines of the summit after North Korea carried out the missile test just an hour before its inauguration.
This is the third summit level meeting in the Asia Pacific region within a month after the East Asia Summit in Cambodia and G-20 summit at Bali, Indonesia.
Russia is a member of both G20 and APEC but President Vladimir Putin has stayed away from the summits. First Deputy Prime Minister Andrei Belousov is representing him at APEC.
The next Summit meeting will be held in the United States of America in 2023.
India is not a member of APEC.
Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC)
The Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) is a regional economic forum with 21 member economies across Asia-Pacific region.
It was set up in 1989 to promote regional economic integration under a non-legally binding manner and friendly environment.
APEC group countries account for 38% of the global population, 62% of world’s gross domestic product and 48% of the world trade.
21 Member of APEC are:
Australia; Brunei Darussalam, Canada, Indonesia, Japan, Korea, Malaysia, New Zealand, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand; United States, China; Hong Kong, Chinese Taipei(Taiwan), Mexico ,Papua New Guinea ,Chile , Peru; Russia; and Vietnam.
Headquarters: Singapore
2. Vice President Dhankhar calls for free and open Indo-Pacific region at the 17th East Asia Summit in Phnom Penh
Tags: place in news Summits Person in news
Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar speaking at the 17th East Asia Summit meeting being held in the Cambodian capital of Phnom Penh on 13 November 2022 highlighted India’s concern on food and security and emphasized the role of the East Asia Summit (EAS) in promoting free, open and inclusive Indo-Pacific with freedom of navigation and overflight.
The 17th EAS is being hosted by the current ASEAN (Association of SouthEast Asian Nations) chairman Cambodia.
Earlier speaking in the summit the American President Joe Biden and the Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida also highlighted the aggressive behaviour of China in the South China Sea and called for peace in the Taiwan Strait and ensuring freedom of navigation in the South China Sea.
Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar also called upon the EAS members’ full contribution to the International Year of Millets in 2023.
Vice President visit to Cambodia
The Vice President was on a three day (11-13 November) visit to Cambodia to attend the 19th India-ASEAN summit meeting which has been designated as the commemorative summit, to mark the 30 years of Indian ASEAN relationship.
This year is also being celebrated as ASEAN-India Friendship Year.
External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar is accompanying Vice-President Dhankhar on this visit.
Observer Research Foundation signs Mou with AVI
On the sideline of the summit meeting Observer Research Foundation (ORF) of India signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with a leading Cambodian think tank AVI.
The two institutions engaged in the realm of public policy will endeavour to cooperate more closely to enhance their mutual understanding on a range of issues from geopolitics and international relations to sustainable development and cultural engagement.
East Asia Summit
- The East Asia summit group consists of 18 countries.
- The concept of an East Asia Grouping was first promoted in 1991 by the then Malaysian Prime Minister, Mahathir bin Mohamad.
- It was set up in 2005 as a forum to promote strategic dialogue and cooperation on political, security and economic issues of common regional concern in the Asia-Pacific region.
- Initially it consisted of ASEAN members (Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Singapore, Thailand, Philippines and Vietnam) and China, Japan ,South Korea, India, Australia and New Zealand.
- The United States of America and Russia were included in 2011.
