1. Skip to content
  2. Skip to main menu
  3. Skip to more DW sites
Live TV
Latest audioLatest videos
In focus
Israel and the crisis in the Middle EastGerman coalition collapseUS election

Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC)

APEC is a forum for economic cooperation of all countries bordering the Pacific. It was set up in 1989 in response to the economic rise of Asian countries.

Skip next section All Content on this topic

All Content on this topic

US President Joe Biden (right) and Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador (left) at APEC 2023 summit on armchairs and in front of US and Mexican flags

Biden, AMLO discuss fentanyl, migration at APEC

US President Joe Biden is seeking support for measures to hinder the trafficking of the drug fentanyl.
PoliticsNovember 17, 2023
Chinese President Xi Jinping arrives at San Francisco International Airport ahead of the APEC summit

Xi, Biden arrive in San Francisco for APEC talks

President Xi Jinping has arrived on his first visit to the US since 2017 with direct talks with Joe Biden on the agenda.
PoliticsNovember 15, 2023
Xi Jinping (l) and Joe Biden (r) in Indonesia in November 2022

Decoding China: Xi and Biden have to find common ground

China's President Xi Jinping and US President Joe Biden are set to have a high stakes meeting in California next week.
PoliticsNovember 11, 2023
Handelskrieg | Fahnen von USA und China | Symbolbild

Can the US and China warm up their frosty relationship?

Could Joe Biden and Xi Jinping reset things at the upcoming APEC summit in San Francisco?
PoliticsNovember 10, 202302:46 min
Water is sprayed above police and protesters in Bangkok

Thailand's cycle of police brutality concerns activists

Riot police in Thailand regularly meet peaceful demonstrations with heavy force. Activists are calling for reforms.
SocietyDecember 7, 2022
Russia's First Deputy Prime Minister Andrey Belousov attends the APEC Leader's Dialogue on November 18, 2022

Thailand: Russia-Ukraine tensions spill over to APEC

Bangkok's efforts to appease Moscow and encourage Russian tourists fail to win Putin's attendance at the APEC summit.
PoliticsNovember 18, 2022
China coal-fired plant

APEC to put climate rhetoric to the test

APEC includes such big economies as the US, China and Japan. Their stance on curbing climate change is important.
BusinessNovember 12, 202104:23 min
Angela Merkel at the Bundestag in Berlin. (Photo/Markus Schreiber)

Merkel says unvaccinated have duty to get jab

German Chancellor Merkel called getting vaccinated against COVID-19 both a right and a duty for the good of society.
HealthNovember 12, 2021
China Präsident Xi Jinping

China's Xi blasts protectionism in APEC speech

China's president boasted about China's role in solving major global crises while preaching the benefits of free trade.
PoliticsNovember 19, 2020
Riot police in Chile

Chile cancels Asia-Pacific and COP25 summits

Chilean President Sebastian Pinera has cited ongoing protests as the reason for cancelling international summits
PoliticsOctober 30, 2019
Smoke rises from the roof of a convention center in Auckland, New Zealand

New Zealand: Massive blaze prompts evacuations

A thick cloud of smoke blanketed Auckland, prompting evacuations and warnings from officials to steer clear of downtown.
CatastropheOctober 23, 2019
Hongkong Flugzeugträger USS Ronald Reagan

Can China rival the US Navy in the Pacific?

Beijing has been making big steps recently toward solidifying a sphere of influence in the Asia Pacific.
PoliticsNovember 21, 2018
APEC leaders at the summit in Port Moresby

APEC leaders fail to agree on joint statement

The gathering in Papua New Guinea was overshadowed by diplomatic sparring between rivals US and China.
PoliticsNovember 18, 2018
Mike Pence

US and China exchange trade war jibes

China called for consultations to resolve trade disputes while the US threatened more tariffs.
BusinessNovember 17, 2018
Papua-Neuguinea APEC-Gipfel in Port Moresby | Xi Jinping, Präsident China

China expands its influence in Papua New Guinea

China has been developing a strategy to gain influence in Oceanian developing countries through infrastructure projects.
PoliticsNovember 16, 201801:40 min
Australia Opera in Sydney erstrahlt in rot, der traditionellen chinesische Farbe für Glück

China and Australia compete for influence

China and Australia are outbidding each other with development funds to secure influence in the Pacific.
PoliticsNovember 16, 2018
Australia Neuer Ministerpräsident Scott Morrison

Australia to spend billions to counter China

Canberra is ready to invest billions in Pacific nations to counter China's perceived influence.
PoliticsNovember 8, 2018
Made in Germany Dresscode

Dresscode: Who’s best-dressed at APEC?

What will politicians wear at the APEC photo op in Papua New Guinea?
BusinessNovember 21, 201702:32 min
China US, Donald Trump & Xi Jinping in Beijing

How China's Xi upstaged Trump as 'world leader'

China's Xi Jinping grabbed the limelight from Donald Trump during the US president's first Asia trip.
PoliticsNovember 14, 2017
Vladimir Putin, George W. Bush and Jiang Zemin at APEC 2001

Sartorial summit: APEC leaders show off local style

Leaders of APEC member state gatherings rarely miss a group photo in the traditional clothes of the host country.
PoliticsNovember 11, 20179 images
Manila Philippinen

Donald Trump to meet 'Trump of the East'

A wave of protests has erupted as the Philippines welcome US President Donald Trump. Ana P. Santos reports from Manila.
PoliticsNovember 11, 2017
Soric Miodrag Kommentarbild App

Opinion: Donald Trump's policies have fed China's rise

Miodrag Soric
Trump's "America First" mantra won him the presidency, but it may have helped China on its path to overtake the US.
PoliticsNovember 11, 2017
Vietnam Apec-Gipfel US-Präsident Donald Trump und Wladimir Putin

Trump & Putin 'agree on Syria,' brush off election meddling

The US president and his Russian counterpart have agreed to keep fighting IS in Syria.
ConflictsNovember 11, 2017
external

APEC Conference gets underway in Vietnam

In Vietnam, the annual meeting of the APEC countries has got underway. Key topics include US protectionism.
BusinessNovember 10, 201702:26 min
Donald Trump in Vietnam APEC CEO Gipfel neu

Trump stresses ties with Asia-Pacific

US President Donald Trump has stressed his country's ties with the Asia-Pacific region at the APEC summit.
PoliticsNovember 10, 2017
China Trumps Besuch

APEC summit: Free trade in Asia in the age of protectionism

Vietnam is hosting this year's APEC summit. Convincing trade protectionists like Trump remains an uphill task.
BusinessNovember 9, 2017
external

APEC ministers meet

The remaining members of the Trans-Pacific Partnership are trying to reach agreement on a new deal without the US.
BusinessNovember 8, 201701:08 min
People in submerged street in Hue City, Vietnam

Deadly typhoon deluges pre-summit Vietnam

Typhoon Damrey has swamped Vietnam, leaving tens of thousands homeless in floodwaters and claiming at least 49 lives.
CatastropheNovember 6, 2017
Konflikt China Philippinen - Fischerboote nördlich von Manila

Filipino fishermen angry at Duterte

The Philippines' Duterte has announced a new fishing ban and fishermen are angry. Ana P. Santos reports from Manila.
PoliticsDecember 5, 2016
Freight containers

Opinion: Trump and free trade

DW's Henrik Böhme thinks Donald Trump should propose a global WTO trade deal.
BusinessNovember 21, 2016
China G20 Gipfel in Hangzhou Obama und Jinping

China takes the driver's seat

Apec leaders have pledged to fight protectionism, while China is luring more countries into a Beijing-led trading bloc.
BusinessNovember 21, 2016
Peru APEC Gipfel Barack Obama Pressekonferenz in Lima

Obama defends free trade, eyes legacy at APEC

Obama has defended free trade deals at the APEC summit after Donald Trump's victory sparked fears over global commerce.
BusinessNovember 21, 2016
Peru APEC Gipfel Barack Obama und Wladimir Putin in Lima

Putin to ‘normalize’ ties with US, Trump

Putin says he will work with US President-elect Donald Trump to mend US-Russian relations.
PoliticsNovember 21, 2016
President Barack Obama talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin at the APEC Economic Leaders’ Meeting in Lima

Obama pressures Putin at APEC

The Russian and US presidents have held brief talks on the sidelines of the APEC summit in Peru.
PoliticsNovember 20, 2016
Peru Treffen Barack Obama und Xi Jinping in Lima

China's ties with US 'at hinge moment,' says Xi

China's president has said he hopes for a "smooth transition" in ties with the US after a final meeting with Obama.
PoliticsNovember 20, 2016
Peru APEC-Gipfel Enrique Pena Nieto

Mexican president calls for 'new era' in US links

Mexico's president has told the APEC summit he wants a 'new era' in ties with the USA.
PoliticsNovember 19, 2016
Schweizer Kampfjets eskortieren russisches Regierungsflugzeug

Swiss fighter jets fly alongside Russian state aircraft

Bern says two of its F/A-18 jets made a 'routine check' of a Russian government plane. Moscow has complained.
PoliticsNovember 19, 2016
Lima APEC-Gipfel in Peru Pablo Kuczynski

APEC scrambles for more free trade options

Delegates attending the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation Forum are demanding that free trade policies continue.
BusinessNovember 19, 2016
Peru Lima APEC Konferenz

APEC Summit: Meet me in Lima

So much for the end of free trade. The United States isn't calling the shots in Peru - China is.
PoliticsNovember 17, 2016
APEC leaders in the Philippines

APEC leaders lay out their vision as summit ends

Asian leaders outline their goals on a variety of issues as protests marr the annual summit's closing day.
November 19, 2015
Philippinen APEC Gipfel Xi Jinping Präsident China

Beijing pushes against TPP at Manila summit

China lauded its own regional trade deal at the annual APEC summit in Manila, with a rival US deal on the table..
November 18, 2015
Satellite image of Spratly Islands

Obama calls for end to South China Sea reclamation

US President Barack Obama has said that China must stop reclaiming land in the disputed South China Sea.
November 18, 2015
Barack Obama

Obama arrives in Manila ahead of APEC summit

US President Barack Obama has landed in the Philippines for the APEC forum, likely to be dominated by the Paris attacks.
November 17, 2015
Türkei Küste bei Antalya G20 Gipfel

Turkey, Philippines step up security ahead of major summits

The Philippines and Turkey have ramped up security ahead of two major summits bringing together world leaders this week.
November 14, 2015
Südchinesisches Meer West London Reef

Maritime disputes at APEC summit?

China wants to avoid discussing thorny territorial issues at the upcoming APEC summit in the Philippines.
November 13, 2015
Symbolbild Euro Yuan

Sieren's China: Dividing the West

Britain has become the first G7 country to join a new Chinese-led investment bank.
March 13, 2015
AirAsia Airbus 320-200 vermisst 28.12.2014

2014 - A look back at key events in Asia

2014 proved once again that Asia's economic and political significance is growing. At the same time, tensions are increasing in the region.
December 30, 201413 images
China und Australien schließen Freihandelsabkommen 17.11.2014

Sieren's China

Australia has sealed a free trade deal with China, much to the consternation of the US.
November 17, 2014
external

Quadriga - The Asian Economies: Matchmaking at Summits

The Asia-Pacific economic region is on the move. New alliances and agreements are being reached, even among competitors such as China and Japan, and Russia and China. The new agreements are also aiming to establish strategic alternatives to the US and the EU. What impact will these new alliances have on the global balance of power?
PoliticsNovember 13, 201442:33 min
Chinese President Xi Jinping waves after arriving at Seoul Air Base in Seongnam July 3, 2014 (Photo: REUTERS/Kim Hong-Ji)

China's responsibility

Despite China's dominance, the country hasn't much to offer, says DW's Rodion Ebbighausen.
November 13, 2014