![Demonstrations against the summit of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation forum](/images/December2020/24-598804.jpg)
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Published: 13 November 2023
![Demonstrations against the summit of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation forum](/images/December2020/24-598804.jpg)
Coinciding with a demonstration that came in rejection of the "neoliberal" practices of the
concerned governments and "solidarity" with the Palestinians in Gaza, a large number of
flags and banners were raised calling for support for the Palestinians and an end to the
Israeli "genocide"in Gaza, hundreds demonstrated in San Francisco on Sunday on the eve of
the APEC summit.
Edited by| Hugh Gey
World section - CJ journalist
San Francisco - November,13,2023
Climate activist Nick ivasco said that "the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) forum is
a neoliberal colonial form of government. We want to make sure they put people and the
planet at the heart of the negotiations,"he said.
"When countries meet to negotiate, they often cede resource and land rights to Northern
companies,"ivasco added. "They are talking about building a green economy, but for the
CEO of ExxonMobil, one of the biggest polluters in the world, to have a platform to discuss
with world leaders how he wants to benefit from these free trade agreements is very
worrying," said the activist of the "No to your father" coalition.
"I am here in solidarity with the Palestinians who are being massacred en masse . "My
husband's family is stuck in Gaza right now. "This is a genocide, and we, the United States,
are helping to finance it,"she added.
She considered that it makes sense to protest with anti - "APEC" activists, because the
summit brings together international leaders, including President Joe Biden, who arrives in
San Francisco on Tuesday. "The cause of the liberation of peoples is International, and all
these issues are interrelated,"she added.
Delegations of the 21 member states of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC),
including China, Japan and Indonesia, arrived in San Francisco, California, where the summit
will be held from November 11 to 17, as well as Russian Deputy Prime Minister Alexei
overchuk, representing Russia as a "full participant".
"Overchuk will be treated as the head of the delegation and will have the opportunity to
fully participate in the events of the week," said Matt Murray, who is in charge of the APEC
file at the US State Department, "it is clear that Russia's participation was affected by
sanctions," Murray added, explaining that overchuk "will not be at the same level" from the
point of view of diplomatic protocol as the heads of state and government who will
participate in the summit.
Russian President Vladimir Putin, who is facing an ICC arrest warrant, was not expected to
head to San Francisco, and the United States made no secret that he was not welcome.
Among these leaders is another opponent of the United States, Chinese President Xi Jinping,
who will meet with US President Joe Biden on Wednesday. The United States expressed the
hope of stabilizing relations with China and finding limited areas for cooperation.
At a time when tensions are at their peak and the United States is preparing for presidential
elections a year later, the APEC summit represents a unique opportunity for the leaders of
the two countries to meet.
Biden and Xi are expected to discuss on Wednesday, in their first meeting since the group of
twenty summit hosted by Bali a year ago, a number of differences including Taiwan, whose
elections scheduled in two months could raise new tensions with Beijing, knowing that the
latter considers the autonomous democratic island part of its territory and has not ruled out
annexation by force.
A US official expressed hope that Biden and Xi will open "new lines of communication", given
the US desire to resume contacts between the two militaries, which are especially necessary
for managing the Taiwan crisis.
According to Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning, the two leaders will
"communicate in depth on strategic, general and confusing issues in the framework of
China-US relations, as well as major issues related to global peace and development".
She added that Beijing opposes "defining China-US relations in terms of competition".