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☆ APEC Over, Taiwan Reports Renewed Chinese Military Activity
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-18 | by ( Nov. | At P.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +2 min

TAIPEI (Reuters) - Taiwan reported renewed Chinese military activity around the island on Sunday, with nine aircraft crossing the sensitive median line of the Taiwan Strait and warships carrying out "combat readiness patrols". Democratically-governed Taiwan, which China claims as its own territory, has complained for the past four years of regular Chinese military patrols and drills near the island, as Beijing seeks to pressure Taipei over its sovereignty claims. With Chinese President Xi Jinping in San Francisco last week for the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit, where he met U.S. President Joe Biden, the scale of that military activity around Taiwan had scaled off. The aircraft were accompanying Chinese warships carrying out "joint combat readiness patrols" it added. China says its activities near Taiwan are aimed at "collusion" between Taiwan separatists and the United States and to protect China's territorial integrity.

Persons: Xi Jinping, Joe Biden, Su, Xi, Biden, Ben Blanchard, William Mallard, Kim Coghill Organizations: Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation, U.S, Taiwan, Biden Locations: TAIPEI, Taiwan, Taiwan Strait, China, Beijing, Taipei, San Francisco, United States, U.S

☆ Biden signs stopgap spending bill to avert government shutdown - White House
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-17 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

U.S. President Joe Biden delivers remarks during the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework (IPEF) Leaders event at the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) CEO Summit in San Francisco, California, U.S. November 16, 2023. REUTERS/Brittany Hosea-Small Acquire Licensing RightsSAN FRANCISCO, Nov 16 (Reuters) - U.S. President Joe Biden signed on Thursday a stopgap spending bill to avert a government shutdown, a day after the Senate passed it, the White House said. Biden signed the document on the sidelines of a dinner at the Legion of Honor museum in San Francisco, where leaders are attending the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit. U.S. House of Representatives Speaker Mike Johnson had produced the stopgap funding bill that drew broad bipartisan support, a rarity in modern U.S. politics. Reporting by Trevor Hunnicutt and Gokul Pisharody ; Editing by Clarence Fernandez and Kim CoghillOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Joe Biden, Brittany Hosea, Biden, Mike Johnson, Trevor Hunnicutt, Clarence Fernandez, Kim Coghill Organizations: Economic, Economic Cooperation, REUTERS, FRANCISCO, Legion, Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation, . House, Thomson Locations: Asia, San Francisco , California, U.S, San Francisco, Washington

☆ Biden signs stopgap spending bill to avert govt shutdown- White House
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-17 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

☆ US, Indo-Pacific partners need to 'recalibrate' trade talks -USTR's Bianchi
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-17 | by ( David Lawder | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

"We’ve got to recalibrate in the new year with our partners," Bianchi said in an interview on the sidelines of the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation summit in San Francisco. USTR said later in a statement that it was seeing progress in the trade negotiations on trade facilitation, agriculture, technical assistance and economic cooperation. Senator Sherrod Brown, a Democrat facing a tough re-election fight in the industrial state of Ohio, last week demanded that Biden drop the trade pillar from the Indo-Pacific initiative. Brown on Wednesday claimed responsibility for the stalling IPEF trade pillar by insisting on enforceable labor provisions. Bianchi said some of the other 12 IPEF countries in the trade talks "prefer a different approach" on labor and environment chapters, but they support continued negotiations on trade.

Persons: Carlos Barria, Sarah Bianchi, We’ve, Bianchi, USTR, Joe Biden, Sherrod Brown, Biden, Brown, David Lawder, David Gregorio, Raju Gopalakrishnan Organizations: APEC, Economic Cooperation, REUTERS, FRANCISCO, Economic, U.S . Trade, Reuters, Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation, Pacific Partnership, Democrat, U.S ., Partners, Thomson Locations: Asia, Pacific, San Francisco , California, U.S, San Francisco, Ohio, Vietnam, Indonesia, Canada, Mexico

MANILA, Philippines (AP) — The United States and the Philippines have signed a nuclear cooperation pact under which U.S. investment and technologies are to help the Southeast Asian nation transition to cleaner energy and bolster its power supply. He said the pact, known as a Section 123 agreement, would support the development of reliable, affordable and sustainable power in the Philippines. It will also open doors for U.S. companies to invest and participate in nuclear power projects, he said. With its peak energy demand expected to quadruple by 2040, nuclear energy will help it meet its needs in a sustainable way, he said. The United States has 23 Section 123 agreements in force that govern peaceful nuclear cooperation with 47 countries, the International Atomic Energy Agency and Taiwan.

Persons: Ferdinand Marcos Jr, Antony Blinken, ” Marcos, Blinken, ”, “, ___ Ng Organizations: Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation, U.S . Atomic Energy, Bataan Nuclear, United, International Atomic Energy Agency Locations: MANILA, Philippines, United States, Philippine, San Francisco, U.S, Taiwan, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

U.S. President Joe Biden delivers remarks at the Leaders Retreat during the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Summit in San Francisco, California, U.S., November 17, 2023. REUTERS/Loren Elliott Acquire Licensing RightsSAN FRANCISCO, Nov 17 (Reuters) - U.S. President Joe Biden on Friday urged Asia-Pacific economies to work together to ensure that artificial intelligence (AI) brings change for the better, not to abuse workers or limit potential. Addressing the final session of a two-day summit of the 21-member Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) forum in San Francisco, Biden said he had briefly discussed AI with Chinese President Xi Jinping in talks on the sidelines of APEC on Wednesday. The steps, he said, included committing to ensuring the security of AI systems before releasing them to the public, watermarking AI-generated content to show it has been generated by artificial intelligence and minimizing the risk AI systems posed to society, such as by promoting bias or discrimination. Meanwhile, Washington was expanding grants for AI research in key areas like healthcare and climate change, he said.

Persons: Joe Biden, Loren Elliott, Biden, Xi Jinping, we've, Xi, David Brunnstrom, Don Durfee, Cynthia Osterman Organizations: Economic Cooperation, REUTERS, FRANCISCO, Asia, APEC, Wednesday, Thomson Locations: Asia, San Francisco , California, U.S, Pacific, San Francisco, United States, Washington

As the most powerful Chinese leader in generations, Xi Jinping rarely bothers to glad-hand or to try charming a crowd. His public appearances in China are carefully crafted, with fawning cadres and adoring fans positioned around him. So when Mr. Xi landed in San Francisco this week to meet with President Biden, to try to stabilize a relationship with the United States that has been spiraling downward, it provided a rare opportunity to see the Chinese leader up close and, at times, less filtered than usual. Earlier, the Chinese leader had compared presidential limousines with Mr. Biden as they met on the sidelines of the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation summit. And he thanked Mr. Biden for reminding him that his wife, Peng Liyuan, a famous Chinese soprano and folk singer, has a birthday on Monday, as does Mr. Biden.

Persons: Xi Jinping, Xi, Biden, Mr, Peng Liyuan Organizations: Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation Locations: China, San Francisco, United States, Iowa, Hebei

Chang said the Biden-Xi meeting was a “good” one, pointing to their agreement to resume high-level military communications. “It should help reduce the tensions between the U.S. and China, and it should increase stability of Taiwan Strait,” Chang said. Washington has a security pact with Taiwan to deter any armed attack from Beijing and has stepped up its support for the island. Xi sought assurances from Biden that the U.S. would not support Taiwan's independence and requested that Washington support China’s peaceful reunification with Taiwan. Sun Yun, director of the China program at the Washington-based Stimson Center think tank, said Washington won’t accept Beijing’s new demand to support peaceful reunification.

Persons: Joe Biden, China's Xi, Morris Chang, ” Chang, Chang, Biden, Xi, Nancy Pelosi, ” Biden, Sun Yun, Washington won’t, Sun, Tsai Ing, Tsai, Kamala Harris, Antony Blinken, Lael Brainard, Fumio Kishida Organizations: FRANCISCO, Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation, U.S, Washington, Stimson, APEC, Japanese Locations: Taiwan, Asia, Pacific, San Francisco, China, Taiwan Strait, Beijing, Washington, The U.S, U.S, “ China

☆ Trans-Pacific trade deal members meet at APEC summit, say open to new members
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-16 | by ( David Lawder | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

A sign advertising the upcoming APEC (Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation) Summit in see as the city prepares to host leaders from the Asia-Pacific region in San Francisco, California November 8, 2023. The lack of an IPEF trade deal is a setback for the Biden administration. The CPTPP is the successor to the Trans-Pacific Partnership free trade deal, from which former President Donald Trump withdrew as soon as he took office in 2017. The CPTPP meeting on the sidelines of the APEC leaders' summit was the first ministerial to include new member Britain, which signed up to the trade bloc in July. The current CPTPP members are Australia, Brunei, Canada, Chile, Japan, Malaysia, Mexico, New Zealand, Peru, Singapore, the United Kingdom, and Vietnam.

Persons: Carlos Barria, Biden, Donald Trump, CPTPP, David Lawder, Lincoln Organizations: APEC, Economic Cooperation, REUTERS, FRANCISCO, Trans, Pacific, U.S, Economic, Pacific Partnership, Britain, Thomson Locations: Asia, Pacific, San Francisco , California, States, San Francisco, Taiwan, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Australia, Brunei, Canada, Chile, Japan, Malaysia, Mexico, New Zealand, Peru, Singapore, United Kingdom, Vietnam

REUTERS/Kim Kyung-Hoon Acquire Licensing RightsNov 17 (Reuters) - A look at the day ahead in Asian markets from Jamie McGeever, financial markets columnist. The Asia Pacific economic data and policy calendar on Friday is very light, with only Malaysian third quarter GDP and current account reports scheduled for release. Ahead of the data the ringgit is trading around 4.6850 per dollar, near last month's 25-year low of 4.79 per dollar. Anyone hoping for market-moving news from the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation forum in San Francisco will have been disappointed. The gathering of APEC leaders has been cordial and cooperative but, viewed through an economic and market lens, lacking any real substance.

Persons: Kim Kyung, Jamie McGeever, Joe Biden, Xi Jinping, Fed's Barr, Collins, Daly, Josie Kao Organizations: Nikkei, REUTERS, Treasury, Asia, Malaysian, Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation, APEC, CSI, Brent, Thomson, Reuters Locations: Tokyo, Japan, U.S, Asia Pacific, Asia, San Francisco, China, Malaysia

Japan's Prime Minister Fumio Kishida and Chinese President Xi Jinping pose for a family photo during Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) CEO Summit in San Francisco, California, U.S. November 16, 2023. They also pledged to hold high-level dialogue on economic issues and welcomed the launch of a framework to discuss export controls as they met on the sidelines of an Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation summit. In a joint statement in 2008, Japan and China agreed to pursue a "mutually beneficial relationship based on common strategic interests" designed to ensure frequent leadership exchanges on issues such as security and economic cooperation. On the sidelines of the APEC summit, Kishida has also met South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol for their seventh meeting this year. Leaders from the 21-member Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation forum are in San Francisco for its 30th summit from Nov. 15-17.

Persons: Fumio Kishida, Xi Jinping, Carlos Barria, Xi, Kishida, Joe Biden, Biden, Washington, Rumi Aoyama, Aoyama, Yoon Suk, Yoon, Mariko Katsumura, John Geddie, Kaori Kaneko, Sakura Murakami, Ethan Wang, Stephen Coates, Raju Gopalakrishnan Organizations: Japan's, Economic Cooperation, REUTERS, Asia, Astellas Pharma, ., Waseda Institute of Contemporary Chinese, APEC, South, Thomson Locations: Asia, San Francisco , California, U.S, China, San Francisco, Japan, Taiwan, Beijing, United States, Tokyo

☆ Indonesia says Exxon Mobil plans to invest up to $15 bln in the country
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-16 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

REUTERS/Dado Ruvic/Illustration/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsCompanies Exxon Mobil Corp FollowJAKARTA, Nov 16 (Reuters) - U.S. oil major Exxon Mobil (XOM.N) is planning to invest up to $15 billion in a petrochemical project and carbon capture and storage (CCS) facilities in Indonesia, President Joko Widodo said in a presidential palace statement on Thursday. The planned CCS facilities would be the biggest in Southeast Asia. Earlier this week, Indonesia signed an initial deal with an Exxon unit to explore investment in a petrochemical project in Indonesia to produce polymers. Exxon and Indonesian state energy company Pertamina also agreed to evaluate $2 billion in investments in CCS facilities using two underground basins in the Java Sea. "These large-scale opportunities could substantially boost industrial growth and decarbonisation in Indonesia, as well as the Asia Pacific region," said Carole Gall, president of Exxon Mobil Indonesia.

Persons: Dado Ruvic, Joko Widodo, Darren Woods, Pertamina, Carole Gall, Joe Biden, Fransiska Nangoy, Bernadette Christina, Muralikumar Anantharaman, Tom Hogue Organizations: ExxonMobil, REUTERS, Companies Exxon Mobil Corp, Exxon Mobil, Exxon, Asia, Economic Cooperation, Exxon Mobil Indonesia, CCS, U.S, APEC, Thomson Locations: JAKARTA, Indonesia, Southeast Asia, San Francisco, Asia, Washington

"We will continue working to better facilitate high-standard trade that advances workers' rights through strong enforcement of labor standards." Biden was also to take part on Thursday in an event for the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework (IPEF), a 14-nation group his administration established. Hopes for an IPEF trade deal were dashed this week. Asked how long an IPEF trade agreement could take to conclude, an administration official said most negotiations take years but the White House intended to work on an "accelerated timeline." "A stable relationship between the world's two largest economies is not merely good for those two economies but for the world," Biden said to applause.

Persons: Joe Biden, Biden, White, Donald Trump, Republican Trump, Fumio Kishida, Xi Jinping, Justin Trudeau, Anthony Albanese, Dina Boluarte, Srettha Thavisin, Hassanal, Gina Raimondo, Xi, Trevor Hunnicutt, David Brunnstrom, Nandita Bose, Katharine Jackson, Andrea Shalal, Heather Timmons, Josie Kao, Cynthia Osterman Organizations: FRANCISCO, Asia, Economic Cooperation, Economic, Democrat, Republican, APEC, IMF, Amazon.com, Delta Air Lines, PepsiCo, Apple, Boeing, Japan's, Canada's, Australia's, Brunei's, Monetary Fund, . Commerce, Trans, Pacific, Trump, U.S, Thomson Locations: Pacific, San Francisco, Asia, ASIA, U.S, Thailand, China, United States

SAN FRANCISCO, Nov 16 (Reuters) - President Joe Biden will highlight strong U.S. ties to the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) forum economies on Thursday, despite a failure to make progress on key trade provisions sought by regional countries. Biden will also take part in an event with the 14-member Indo-Pacific Economic Framework (IPEF) that his administration established to bolster economic engagement after former President Donald Trump quit a long-negotiated regional trade pact in 2017. U.S. hopes for an IPEF trade deal were dashed this week, after members could not agree on improving labor and environmental standards or compliance, people briefed on the talks said. U.S. exports to the region have grown 12%, 60% of U.S. exports are sent to a fellow APEC economy, and APEC members have invested $1.7 trillion into the U.S. economy since 2016, the official said. Biden plans to emphasize his administration's efforts to advance workers' rights in remarks on Thursday, the U.S. official said.

Persons: Joe Biden, Biden, Xi Jinping, Donald Trump, Gina Raimondo, Xi, David Brunnstrom, Nandita Bose, Katharine Jackson, Doina, Heather Timmons, Josie Kao Organizations: FRANCISCO, Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation, APEC, Economic, . Commerce, U.S, Thomson Locations: San Francisco, U.S, Japan, Vietnam, Singapore, China, United States

SAN FRANCISCO, Nov 16 (Reuters) - San Francisco police began arresting protesters calling for a ceasefire in the Israel-Hamas war on Thursday after demonstrations blocked the Bay Bridge, a key commuter route into the city which is hosting the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) forum. Authorities also deployed tow trucks to remove protesters' vehicles blocking the bridge. Local emergency services warned of the blockage during morning rush hour on the bridge which links Oakland and other East Bay cities to San Francisco. Traffic traveling on the bridge toward San Francisco began to move as of about 10:45 a.m. local time (1845 GMT) after a backup. “It is a good idea because they are against a war but I think they should be more safe and protest in the city, not the bridge,” Felix said.

Persons: Claudia Felix, Felix, ” Felix, Max A, Peter Henderson, Omar Younis, Sandra Stojanovic, Mary Milliken, Chizu Nomiyama, Josie Kao Organizations: FRANCISCO, San Francisco, Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation, California, Patrol, Authorities, Palestinian Youth Movement, Palestine Solidarity, Thomson Locations: Israel, U.S, Oakland, San Francisco, Bay, Stockton

☆ Citi CEO Fraser touts 'clear benefits' of diversifying supply chains
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-16 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Jane Fraser, Chief Executive Officer of Citi, speaks during the Global Financial Leaders' Investment Summit, in Hong Kong, China November 7, 2023. REUTERS/Tyrone Siu/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsNov 16 (Reuters) - Geopolitical tensions and macroeconomic shocks are spurring businesses and governments into reconfiguring their supply chains, and the increased focus on diversification is leading to "clear benefits", Citigroup (C.N) CEO Jane Fraser said on Thursday. Since the COVID-19 pandemic and Russia's invasion of Ukraine shattered global supply chains, a debate has raged over how integrated the global economy will be in the future. Some businesses are responding by "nearshoring" - the trend of locating manufacturing capacity in Mexico, closer to the U.S. market - to keep supply chains more stable. Disruptions to the "old system" signal globalization is changing and would lead to more trade relationships and diversified supply chains.

Persons: Jane Fraser, Tyrone Siu, Fraser, Niket Nishant, Manya, Pooja Desai Organizations: Citi, Global Financial, Investment, REUTERS, Citigroup, Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation, Comprehensive Economic, Trans, Pacific Partnership, Manya Saini, Thomson Locations: Hong Kong, China, Ukraine, United States, Beijing, Mexico, U.S, India, Vietnam, Malaysia, San Francisco, Bengaluru

☆ China pandas: Xi Jinping hints he could send new pandas to US as ‘envoys of friendship’
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-16 | by ( Yong Xiong | Nectar Gan | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

Their departure leaves Zoo Atlanta as the only other US zoo to feature pandas from China. “Recently, the three pandas at Smithsonian’s National Zoo in Washington D.C. have returned to China. The Chinese leader did not offer additional details on where any future Chinese pandas might be sent, but suggested California would be the most likely destination. The San Diego Zoo returned its last two pandas to China in 2019, after the loan agreement concluded. It’s also the Chinese leader’s first trip to the US in more than six years.

Persons: Xi Jinping, ” Xi, “, Xi, Joe Biden, Richard Nixon’s, Tian Tian, Mei Xiang, Xiao Qi Ji –, It’s, Biden Organizations: CNN, San Diego Zoo, Beijing –, Smithsonian National Zoo, Smithsonian National, Zoo, Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation Locations: China, United States, San Francisco, Beijing, Europe, Germany, Netherlands, Denmark, Finland, Qatar, Washington ,, Zoo Atlanta, Washington, California, Bali , Indonesia

Oil pump jacks are seen at the Vaca Muerta shale oil and gas deposit in the Patagonian province of Neuquen, Argentina, January 21, 2019. REUTERS/Agustin Marcarian/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsNov 15 (Reuters) - Oil prices rose in early Asian trade on Wednesday on Middle East tensions and a weaker dollar, while investors focused on inventory data after a two week delay in reporting. Brent futures rose 8 cents to $82.55 a barrel by 0013 GMT, while U.S. West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude rose 2 cents to $78.28. The U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) will release its first oil inventory report in two weeks on Wednesday. A weaker dollar can boost oil demand by making crude cheaper for buyers using other currencies.

Persons: Agustin Marcarian, Brent, Al Shifa, Joe Biden, Xi Jinping, Miral Organizations: REUTERS, U.S, West Texas, Tuesday U.S, U.S . Energy Information Administration, American Petroleum Institute, International Energy Agency, U.S . Federal, U.S ., Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation, Thomson Locations: Vaca, Patagonian, Neuquen, Argentina, Gaza's, San Francisco

☆ China objects to US proposal for APEC trade and investment policies -source
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-15 | by ( David Lawder | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

[1/2] U.S. Trade Representative Ambassador Katherine Tai speaks during an APEC Ministerial Meeting (AMM) Opening Session in San Francisco, California, U.S., November 15, 2023. REUTERS/Brittany Hosea-Small Acquire Licensing RightsSAN FRANCISCO, Nov 15 (Reuters) - China is objecting to a U.S. proposal for Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation members to incorporate sustainability and inclusivity into their trade and investment policies, a source briefed on the negotiations said on Wednesday. Talks on the issue were continuing at the APEC summit in San Francisco to try to find language that the group's 21 member states could agree on, the source said. U.S. Trade Representative Katherine Tai told a trade-focused plenary meeting she hoped the proposal, dubbed by the Biden administration as the "San Francisco Principles for Integrating Inclusivity and Sustainability into Trade and Investment Policy" could be still be finalized. Nonetheless, I remain optimistic that economies will finalize the San Francisco Principles soon."

Persons: Katherine Tai, Brittany Hosea, Biden, Tai, Joe Biden, Xi Jinping, David Lawder, Jonathan Oatis Organizations: . Trade, REUTERS, FRANCISCO, Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation, APEC, San Francisco, Trade, Investment, European Union, Thomson Locations: San Francisco , California, U.S, China, San Francisco

☆ South Korea's Yoon to warn APEC about risks from North Korea-Russia ties
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-15 | by ( Soo-Hyang Choi | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol gives a speech on the government budget at the National Assembly in Seoul, South Korea, 31 October 2023. Washington has said North Korea is supplying military equipment to Russia for use in its war with Ukraine, while Moscow is providing technical support to help North Korea advance its military capabilities. North Korea and Russia have denied any arms deals, though their leaders pledged closer military cooperation at their September summit. In San Francisco, Blinken held talks with his South Korean and Japanese counterparts on Tuesday and vowed a coordinated response to the North Korea-Russia cooperation. South Korea and China are also in talks for a possible meeting between their leaders, Seoul's foreign ministry said.

Persons: Yoon Suk, JEON HEON, Yoon, Antony Blinken, Defense Lloyd Austin, Austin, Washington, Alexander Kozlov, Blinken, Fumio Kishida, Soo, hyang Choi, Ed Davies, Stephen Coates Organizations: South, National Assembly, Rights, APEC, Economic Cooperation, Associated Press, U.S, Defense, China, Economic, Japanese, Stanford University, Thomson Locations: Seoul, South Korea, Rights SEOUL, United States, North Korea, Russia, San Francisco, Gaza, Ukraine, Moscow, Korea, Russian, Pyongyang, China

[1/5] Protesters taunt people in suit, during a rally in opposition to the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) CEO Summit in San Francisco, California, U.S. November 15, 2023. REUTERS/Loren Elliott Acquire Licensing RightsSAN FRANCISCO, Nov 15 (Reuters) - Protesters took to the streets of San Francisco early on Wednesday morning ahead of a meeting between U.S. President Joe Biden and Chinese President Xi Jinping, obstructing some entrances to the APEC conference. Global leaders and CEOs of major U.S. corporations will all be at the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) forum in San Francisco, offering tempting targets to protest. Protesters supporting spiritual group Falun Gong, which is banned in China, lined motorcade entry points into the convention center area. Supporters of China also turned out near where Biden and Xi will meet, waving Chinese and U.S. flags as well as posters with both flags together.

Persons: Loren Elliott, Joe Biden, Xi Jinping, Biden, Pema Doma, Xi, ”, Gong, Xi's, Ann Saphir, Peter Henderson, Josie Kao Organizations: Economic Cooperation, REUTERS, FRANCISCO, APEC, Global, Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation, Police, Chinese Communist Party, U.S . Department of Homeland Security, U.S, Secret Service, Thomson Locations: Asia, San Francisco , California, U.S, San Francisco, Israel, Tibet, United States, China, Francisco

☆ Airfare to leisure destinations to cost less this winter, WestJet CEO says
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-15 | by ( Allison Lampert | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

MONTREAL, Nov 15 (Reuters) - Airfare to popular international leisure destinations should cost less this winter and next summer than a year ago as carriers add capacity, the CEO of Canada's WestJet Airlines told Reuters on Wednesday. I think this winter we'll have a better supply-to-demand balance, which will give more affordability to Canadians," von Hoensbroech added. WestJet expects to fly almost half of the seats to sun destinations after acquiring leisure carrier Sunwing this year. "We see strong bookings, slightly softer than what we saw last winter," von Hoensbroech added. "I would expect next summer there would be a different demand-to-supply equation on transatlantic," von Hoensbroech said.

Persons: Canada's, Alexis von Hoensbroech, von Hoensbroech, WestJet, Von Hoensbroech, Allison Lampert, Valerie Insinna, Will Dunham Organizations: MONTREAL, WestJet Airlines, Reuters, Onex, Air Transport Association of Canada, Air Canada, Boeing, U.S . Federal Aviation Administration, Thomson Locations: Europe, Asia Pacific, Montreal, Washington

☆ Why Xi Can No Longer Brag About the Chinese Economy
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-14 | by ( Greg Ip | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

In 2021, Chinese President Xi Jinping popularized a slogan signifying China’s expected displacement of the U.S. as the world’s leading economic power: “The East is rising, the West is declining.”China that year had largely suppressed the Covid-19 pandemic and went on to record its fastest growth in a decade, while the U.S. struggled with repeated outbreaks of Covid and surging inflation. On the eve of a virtual meeting with President Biden at an Asia Pacific summit that fall, Xi was formally enshrined as China’s most powerful leader in a generation. Biden still labored under the shadow of his predecessor’s failed attempt to stay in office.

Persons: Xi Jinping, Biden, Xi Locations: West, China, U.S, Asia

REUTERS/Carlos Barria/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsSAN FRANCISCO, Nov 13 (Reuters) - U.S. Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen on Monday said negotiations on the trade section of the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework will need further work, a setback for the Biden administration which had hoped to announce substantial outcomes this week. Yellen told a news conference there has been "very substantial progress" on three of the four areas under discussion by the 14 IPEF member countries, but there are "remaining issues" on trade. She said there had been "significant progress" on the trade pillar, "but it looks not to be complete, like something that is likely to require further work." People familiar with the talks said that an announcement of outcomes is more likely on clean energy cooperation and anti-corruption pillars of the IPEF. Both agreed that the U.S. and China should seek fair trade relations and a level playing field on which their companies can compete, Yellen added.

Persons: Janet Yellen, Lifeng, Carlos Barria, Biden, Yellen, Joe Biden, IPEF, Donald Trump, David Lawder, Ann Saphir, Tom Hogue, Lincoln Organizations: Treasury, APEC, Economic Cooperation, REUTERS, FRANCISCO, . Treasury, Reuters, Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation, San Francisco . U.S, Pacific Partnership, Thomson Locations: U.S, Asia, San Francisco , California, Pacific, San Francisco ., China, CHINA, Beijing, San Francisco

[1/7] Chinese President Xi Jinping arrives at San Francisco International Airport to attend the APEC (Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation) Summit in San Francisco, California, U.S., November 14, 2023. He is due to meet U.S. President Joe Biden at an undisclosed location in the San Francisco Bay Area on Wednesday morning and then attend the annual summit of the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) forum. U.S. Trade Representative Katherine Tai, who with Blinken opened the APEC ministerial session, said the San Francisco meeting came at a time of "great uncertainty and challenges" for the region. As Biden arrived in San Francisco, shortly before Xi was due to land, dueling demonstrators greeted the U.S. president's motorcade from the airport. Earlier on Tuesday, a small aircraft flew circles over the APEC summit venue in downtown San Francisco, trailing a banner that read "END CCP FREE CHINA FREE HK FREE TIBET FREE UIGHUR," referring to China's treatment of Uyghurs, which the Biden administration calls "genocide."

Persons: Xi Jinping, Brittany Hosea, Antony Blinken, Xi, Joe Biden, Biden, Janet Yellen, China Nicholas Burns, Blinken, Katherine Tai, John Kirby, Nancy Pelosi, Michael Martina, Ann Saphir, David Brunnstrom, Trevor Hunnicutt, David Lawder, Chris Reese, Josie Kao Organizations: San Francisco International Airport, APEC, Economic Cooperation, REUTERS, FRANCISCO, U.S, San Francisco Bay Area, Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation, Air China, . Trade, San, White House, Biden, China, Chinese Communist Party, Thomson Locations: Asia, San Francisco , California, U.S, United States, Beijing, San Francisco Bay, Air, China, Washington, San Francisco, Israel, Gaza, Ukraine, Taiwan, Tibet, Hong Kong, CHINA, TIBET

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