InfoAnda - APEC leaders make pledge on free-trade

Pakistanis angry over detentions in Times Sq. case
Monday, May 24, 2010
ISLAMABAD – Relatives of three men detained by Pakistan for alleged links to the suspect in the attempted Times Square bombing say the men are innocent.
They

Taiwan denies boycotting Australian film festival
Thursday, August 6, 2009

AFP - Thursday, August 6TAIPEI (AFP) - - Taiwan's Beijing-friendly government on Wednesday denied boycotting an Australian film festival amid a row over the e

Merkel's support dips, regional ally resigns International
Thursday, September 3, 2009

By Sarah Marsh and Noah Barkin

BERLIN (Reuters) - Chancellor Angela Merkel suffered a double blow on Thursday as a senior party ally in east German

Minister seeks closure of anti-Berlusconi websites
Wednesday, December 16, 2009
ROME (AFP) - – The Italian government moved Tuesday to close down Internet sites encouraging further violence against Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi, who

Asian markets mixed after Wall Street rally
Wednesday, March 18, 2009

By ELAINE KURTENBACH,AP Business Writer AP - Wednesday, March 18SHANGHAI - Asia's stock market rally seemed to be running out of steam Wednesday, despite an

Speculation builds Japan finance minister may quit | 5 January 2010
NFL signs mobile phone deal with Verizon Wireless | | 10 March 2010
Hobbit fever beats Tom Cruise at box office | | 24 December 2012

France hopes for more film action with new tax break | 19 December 2008

Forum Views () Forum Replies ()

Read more with google mobile : APEC leaders make pledge on free-trade

Yahoo! My Yahoo! Mail More Yahoo! Services Account Options New User? Sign Up Sign In Help Yahoo! Search web search Home Singapore Asia Pacific World Business Entertainment Sports Technology Weekend Edition Australia China India Indonesia Japan Malaysia Philippines Thailand Vietnam APEC leaders make pledge on free-trade AFP - 2 hours 19 minutes ago Send IM Story Print APEC leaders make pledge on free-trade YOKOHAMA, Japan (AFP) - – Pacific Rim leaders including the US and China pledged Sunday to turn their dreams of a vast free-trade zone embracing more than half the world's economic output into reality. The 21-member Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) forum resolved to resist the forces of protectionism as the world recovers from a painful downturn, and to work together to regain the growth momentum. "We remain committed to maintaining open markets and fighting protectionism. We reaffirm our common resolve to support the recovery in a collaborative and coordinated way," they said in a statement. APEC's grand plan is for a Free Trade Area of the Asia Pacific (FTAAP) that would link both sides of the Pacific and embrace some 40 percent of the world's population, but until now it has remained a vague and long-term goal. "We have agreed that now is the time for APEC to translate FTAAP from an aspirational to a more concrete vision," the leaders said in a statement at the end of a two-day summit in Japan's port city of Yokohama. "To that end, we instruct APEC to take concrete steps towards realisation of an FTAAP, which is a major instrument to further APEC's regional economic integration agenda." They said the pact should not exist only in a narrow sense, but must be "comprehensive, high quality and incorporate and address 'next generation' trade and investment issues." US President Barack Obama made an appeal to tear down trade barriers Saturday as APEC leaders convened after turbulence at the Group of 20 summit in Seoul, and under the cloud of tensions between its biggest economies. Obama also pushed China on its flood of exports aided by a cheap yuan, undeterred by the knockback at G20 which rejected US policy proposals for binding targets on trade and currency to rebalance the global economy. The APEC leaders' statement sidestepped differences between the US and China on what paths to take towards the grand trade plan, listing the alphabet-soup of various regional forums as equally valid. China favours the 13-nation "ASEAN Plus 3" which takes in the 10-member Southeast Asia bloc as well as China, Japan and South Korea -- a forum where the US is not present and Beijing carries considerable heft. Obama said however that the US, which hosts next year's APEC summit in Hawaii, wants to pursue the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP), a proposed free trade zone that now includes Brunei, Singapore, Chile and New Zealand. The United States, Australia and three other countries are now in talks to join the grouping, which would eliminate most tariffs and other trade barriers and is seen as a vehicle towards a much wider Pacific Rim treaty. With WTO negotiations in limbo, and warnings rife of a return to protectionism, talks to expand the TPP seem to be the only hope of regaining momentum in global trade reform, analysts say. Leaders of the TPP group met for the first time in Yokohama on Sunday to advance the forum which the White House described as "the most advanced pathway" to regional economic integration. Chilean President Sebastian Pinera has said the summit-level talks will now become a regular event. "We cannot lose time," he said in a report Saturday. "We have to move fast. And for that, we need a lot of leadership and courage." Other economies are watching closely but many are torn between not wanting to be left out, and reluctance to make the deep commitments TPP membership could require. At the APEC meeting Sunday, Chinese President Hu Jintao gave assurances that the regional giant, which has alarmed its neighbours with an increasingly assertive posture on territorial disputes, presented no threat. "China remains committed to... the regional policy of building good-neighbourliness and friendship," he said in a speech. Obama's tour of Asia which concludes in Japan has been aimed at propelling renewed US engagement in the region, which has been welcomed by many smaller nations as a counterbalance to China. Hu came to Japan with a feud raging between Asia's biggest economies over a territorial dispute centred on disputed East China Sea islands where Japan arrested a Chinese fishing captain in September. In a diplomatic breakthrough Saturday, Hu and Japan's Prime Minister Naoto Kan held formal talks, their first since the row started, and emerged with warm comments that represented a major thaw. Recommend Send IM Story Print Related Articles Foreign visitors flock to Philippines AFP - 6 minutes ago Muslim pilgrims begin annual hajj pilgrimage AFP - 22 minutes ago World hails Suu Kyi release, urges more change AFP - 27 minutes ago Miner to drill beneath Sydney for gas AFP - 1 hour 1 minute ago Filipino champ Pacquiao 'goes distance' to beat Margarito AFP - 1 hour 1 minute ago News Search Top Stories Travolta jets home as wife goes into labour Property bubble fears weigh on Spanish recovery Greece faces difficult talks with EU, IMF Sarkozy clears decks for French government reshuffle United late show salvages dramatic draw at Villa More Top Stories » ADVERTISEMENT Most Popular Most Viewed Most Recommended 'Naked' airport scanners may be 'dangerous' Zsa Zsa Gabor rushed to hospital for blood clot Asian Games open with China set to dominate After Fed boost, global woes hit Wall Street Britain launches fresh drive on tax havens More Most Viewed » Alcohol more harmful than heroin, crack cocaine: study Toddler survives seven-floor fall in France Spectacular unknown species found in Amazon EU fines 11 airlines 800 million euros for air cargo cartel Be fit, have fewer colds: study More Most Recommended » Elsewhere on Yahoo! Financial news on Yahoo! Finance Stars and latest movies Best travel destinations More on Yahoo! News Home Singapore Asia Pacific World Business Entertainment Sports Technology Weekend Edition Subscribe to our news feeds Top StoriesMy Yahoo!RSS » More news feeds | What are news feeds? Also on Yahoo! Answers Groups Mail Messenger Mobile Travel Finance Movies Sports Games » All Yahoo! Services Site Highlights Singapore Full Coverage Most Popular Entertainment Photos Yahoo! News Network Copyright © 2010 Yahoo! Southeast Asia Pte. Ltd. (Co. Reg. No. 199700735D). All Rights Reserved. Terms of Service | Privacy Policy | Community | Intellectual Property Rights Policy | Help

Other News on Sunday, 14 November 2010
South Sudan monitors see risk of fraud in voter lists
Big German protests pressure Merkel before CDU meet |
Iraq's Allawi
Volkswagen eyes rehaul of trucking: report
Insurgents attack NATO base in eastern Afghanistan
South Sudan monitors see risk of fraud in voter lists |
Afghan minorities fear peace talks with Taliban
NATO: insurgents kills 3 service members in attack
Militants assault NATO base in eastern Afghanistan
Irish end losing streak in unconvincing fashion
Ashton inspires England win over Australia
World leaders hail Suu Kyi's release
Japan, Russia leaders meet amid island row
Aung San Suu Kyi 'completely free': Myanmar
Nobel laureates celebrate Suu Kyi release
Japan, China feud thaws with leaders' talks
Film on climate change bad boy says 'Cool It' over panic
New York's David Chang to open Sydney eatery
Obama welcomes release of 'hero' Aung San Suu Kyi
X Factor hopefuls to sing Elton John song's
Noisy homes leave UK children 'unable to listen'
Amazon Stops Sale Of Pedophile Guide Book
Pope says internet users risk 'solitude'
Israel's Netanyahu unveils U.S. plan for new talks
Sarkozy clears decks for French government reshuffle
Airbase attacked, 10 killed in Afghan market bombing
Cuba to free two more political prisoners |
Berlusconi bids to stave off political crisis
Bangladesh opposition strikes over ex-PM's eviction |
Wary of Taliban, Afghan mujahedeen ready for fight
Bulgaria, Russia set up joint venture to build gas pipeline
Property bubble fears weigh on Spanish recovery
Race tightens in Guinea presidential run-off |
Greece faces difficult talks with EU, IMF
Fire at German petting zoo kills 26 animals
Sarkozy clears decks for French government reshuffle
Karzai wants U.S. to cut back Afghan military operations |
United late show salvages dramatic draw at Villa
Suu Kyi urges freedom of speech in army-ruled Myanmar |
Global Weather-Celsius
Miner to drill beneath Sydney for gas
Filipino champ Pacquiao 'goes distance' to beat Margarito
Park, Kitajima out to halt Chinese juggernaut at Asiad
Pacquiao 'goes the distance' to beat Margarito
Demand hikes up pilgrimage prices in crowded Mecca
Autographed Ruth homer ball a hit at auction
Mystery deepens over disabled NC girl's killing
Australian politician Hanson abandons move to UK
US-ENTERTAINMENT Summary
Free trade ambitions of Pacific Rim leaders
Zsa Zsa Gabor home from hospital
APEC leaders make pledge on free-trade
Aung San Suu Kyi arrives at party headquarters
Paris's Louvre appeals for million euros to buy masterpiece
China to speed up Japan rare earth exports: trade minister
Many Japanese say govt should release China video
Madoff's watch sells for 67,500 dollars
Nicaragua, Costa Rica urged to pull back in river spat |
Turkey to invite Toshiba for nuclear plant talks: report
All Blacks coach wary of Ireland after thrashing Scots
IMF chief: Ready to help Ireland if needed
Coach Johnson hails England young guns after Wallaby rout
US-TECH Summary
Nicaragua, Costa Rica urged to pull back in river spat
Al Qaeda denies plot to target Muslim pilgrims
Francois Fillon returns as French prime minister
Somali pirates free British couple
Netanyahu presents U.S. settlement plan to cabinet |
Delay possible to Greek debt repayments: Papandreou
Karzai: US should reduce military operations
British couple freed by pirates arrives in Kenya |
Israel mulls settlement freeze amid building frenzy
Bosnians, Albanians rush to get visa-free passport
In Afghan south, US troops in re-building drive
Travolta jets home as wife goes into labour
NATO says 5 soldiers killed in Afghanistan |
Ohio Family Mysteriously Disappears
Afghan government says kidnapped diplomat released
Berlusconi faces crunch week amid economic worries
Five People Killed On Californian Highway
Al Qaeda denies plot to target Muslim pilgrims |
Karzai says US should reduce operations' intensity
U.S. Signs Transit Agreement With Kazakhstan For Supplies To Afghanistan
NATO summit will mark 'improvement' in Russia ties
Iraqi Military Intelligence Pessimistic As Government Under Construction
France's Sarkozy keeps Fillon as PM in reshuffle |
Afghan militants torch NATO convoy; blasts kill 3
Greeks vote under threat of more austerity |
Afghan militants burn NATO convoy; blasts kill 3
Military exercises carried out near nuclear sites: Iran |
Greece lets Gaza activists disembark from ship |
Italy's Berlusconi, rival ready for final showdown |
British granny takes clubland by storm
Ubisoft assassins begin prowling the Internet
Oscar governors honor Coppola, Godard with awards
Night owls and early birds: Paris' nightlife dilemma
Iran's Entekhab buys Daewoo Electronics: reports
"Hallows" my favorite Potter film so far: Rowling
Cosmopolitan French conductor says 'music has no borders'
India eyes double-digit growth
Japan PM pushes economic ties to help ease disputes
Vietnam Airlines launches new route to Yangon
Japan, Peru agree on free trade pact
Japan invited to meet with US-backed TPP members
Gas talks still on hold between Japan, China
Asia-Pacific leaders vow to work for freer trade
Oscar governors honor Coppola, Godard with awards |
Hallows my favorite Potter film so far: Rowling |
Greece at new risk of being pushed off euro
Bodies of missing Tenn. mom, Jo Ann Bain, and daughter found
Female Breasts Are Bigger Than Ever
AMD Trinity Accelerated Processing Units Now in Volume Production
The Avengers (2012 film), made the second biggest opening- and single-day gross of all-time
AMD to Start Production of piledriver
Ivy Bridge Quad-Core, Four-Thread Desktop CPUs
Islamists Protest Lady Gaga's Concert in Indonesia
Japan Successfully Broadcasts an 8K Signal Over the Air
ECB boosts loans to 1 trillion Euro to stop credit crunch
Egypt : Mohammed Morsi won with 52 percent
What do you call 100,000 Frenchmen with their hands up
AMD Launches AMD Embedded R-Series APU Platform
Fed Should not Ignore Emerging Market Crisis
Fed casts shadow over India, emerging markets
Why are Chinese tourists so rude? A few insights

USD EUR - 1 year graph		BlogMeter 1.01