Factbox-What’s APEC and which leaders are attending Bangkok summit? By Reuters

(Reuters) – Leaders and heads of governments from the 21 member economies of the Asia-Pacific Financial Cooperation (APEC) have come to the Thai capital Bangkok for a gathering on Friday and Saturday.

As host, Thailand hopes to make progress on dialogue of the Free Commerce Space of the Asia Pacific (FTAAP), however talks come amid geopolitical tensions over the struggle in Ukraine and regional flashpoints similar to Taiwan and the Korean peninsula.

What’s APEC?

APEC is a regional financial discussion board established in 1989 to advertise financial integration. As a grouping, it makes up 38% of the worldwide inhabitants, 62% of GDP and 48% of commerce.

APEC’s 21 members are:

Australia, Brunei, Canada, Chile, China, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Japan, South Korea, Malaysia, Mexico, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, Peru, the Philippines, Russia, Singapore, Chinese language Taipei, Thailand, the USA and Vietnam.

Here’s a have a look at who’s attending:

U.S. VICE PRESIDENT KAMALA HARRIS

Harris is standing in for President Joe Biden. The USA would be the APEC host in 2023. After the assembly in Bangkok, Harris will journey to the Philippines. Her go to to the Philippines can be on the fringe of the disputed South China Sea, a transfer that Beijing may even see as a rebuke.

CHINA PRESIDENT XI JINPING

Xi met Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida in Bangkok on Thursday for talks. Kishida stated he conveyed considerations over regional safety to Xi amid rising tensions in Asia over China’s maritime ambitions. Xi was quoted by Chinese language state broadcaster CCTV as telling Kishida that China and Japan ought to deepen belief, areas of cooperation and regional integration, and resist “battle and confrontation”.

RUSSIA FIRST DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER ANDREI BELOUSOV

Belousov will signify President Valadmir Putin at APEC. At an earlier APEC assembly in Bangkok this 12 months, representatives from the USA and different nations walked out of a gathering in protest of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine when Russian Economic system Minister Maxim Reshetnikov was delivering remarks.

JAPAN PRIME MINISTER FUMIO KISHIDA

THAILAND PRIME MINISTER PRAYUTH CHAN-OCHAAs conferences kicked off, Thailand urged APEC members to “rise above variations” after geopolitical tensions dominated summits in Bali and Phnom Penh over the struggle in Ukraine. Prayuth stated he needed the talks to debate how leaders may also help transition to sustainable financial development and growth.

CANADA PRIME MINISTER JUSTIN TRUDEAU

China’s chief appeared to confront Trudeau on the G20 summit in Bali on Wednesday after accusing him of leaking particulars from a closed-door assembly, a uncommon public show of annoyance by Xi. China’s overseas ministry on Thursday stated Xi was not criticising Trudeau over the alleged leaks.

SOUTH KOREA PRIME MINISTER HAN DUCK-SOO

Prime Minister Han Duck-soo is anticipated to carry conferences with New Zealand and Peru, and in addition search assist for South Korea’s bid to host the 2030 World Expo, in line with Yonhap.

MALAYSIA CHIEF SECRETARY GOVERNMENT ZUKI ALI

Malaysia is represented by its authorities secretary, with the nation holding normal elections on Nov. 19.

PAPUA NEW GUINEA PRIME MINISTER JAMES MARAPE

Marape will maintain conferences with U.S. State Secretary Antony Blinken.

MEXICAN AMBASSADOR TO THAILAND BERNARDO CORDOVA TELLO

The ambassador will signify President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador.

PHILIPPINE PRESIDENT FERDINAND MARCOS JR

President Marcos will maintain a bilateral assembly with China’s Xi and host U.S. Vice President Harris in Manila subsequent week, with tensions over Taiwan on the agenda.

SINGAPORE PRIME MINISTER LEE HSIEN LOONG

Lee will maintain bilateral conferences with China’s Xi

VIETNAM PRESIDENT NGUYEN XUAN PHUC

CHILE PRESIDENT GABRIEL BORIC FONT

INDONESIA PRESIDENT JOKO WIDODO

NEW ZEALAND PRIME MINISTER JACINDA ARDERN

PERU VICE PRESIDENT DINA BOLUARTE

SULTAN OF BRUNEI HASSANAL BOLKIAH

AUSTRALIA PRIME MINISTER ANTHONY ALBANESE

HONG KONG CHIEF EXECUTIVE JOHN LEE KA-CHIU

CHINESE TAIPEI TSMC FOUNDER MORRIS CHANG

This 12 months, host Thailand has additionally invited France and Saudi Arabia.

FRENCH PRESIDENT EMMANUEL MACRON

Macron is because of make a keynote handle.

SAUDI ARABIA CROWN PRINCE MOHAMMED BIN SALMAN

Saudi Arabia’s de facto ruler’s go to comes as the connection between Thailand and Saudi Arabia begins to normalise this 12 months. For almost three many years diplomatic ties had been frozen over “the Blue Diamond Affair”, because the theft of $20 million in jewelry by a Thai janitor is understood.