US: "Next Year's APEC to Focus on Sustainability and Climate Change Response"

U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris is delivering a speech at the APEC CEO Summit held during the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Leaders' Meeting. / Photo by Yonhap News

[Asia Economy Reporter Noh Kyung-jo] The United States, the next chair country of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit, has proposed "sustainability" and "climate change response" as the agenda for next year.

U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris announced at the closing ceremony of the 29th APEC summit held in Bangkok, Thailand on the 19th that next year's APEC summit will be held in San Francisco, California from November 12.

Vice President Harris said, "California, known for economic innovation, is the optimal place to host next year's APEC summit." She added, "Next year's summit will focus on the transition to a decarbonized economy to address sustainability and climate change."

Vice President Harris attended this APEC summit on behalf of President Joe Biden. It was reported that she asked leaders of each country to prepare new targets for carbon reduction in the power sector by next year's meeting. She also proposed setting APEC goals for methane gas reduction. Methane is a greenhouse gas known to have up to 80 times the warming effect of carbon dioxide.

According to Bloomberg News, next year's APEC summit held in San Francisco, home to Silicon Valley, will provide the United States, competing with China, an opportunity to emphasize its technological superiority. Vice President Harris said, "We (the U.S.) have been working to strengthen economic relations with the Indo-Pacific region, including expanding two-way trade and the free movement of capital."

APEC, launched in 1989 and elevated to a summit in 1993, includes 21 member countries such as South Korea, the United States, Japan, China, Russia, and six ASEAN countries. Attention is also focused on whether Chinese President Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin will attend or be invited. President Xi last visited the United States in 2017 and met with then-President Donald Trump.