Bangkok Apec summit ends with no joint statement after US-led walkout
The Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (Apec) trade ministers meeting ended with participants failing to issue the traditional joint statement in Bangkok on Sunday.
The Apec forum was disrupted on Saturday when representatives of the United States, Japan, Canada, Australia and New Zealand walked out as the Russian representative stood to make a speech. The walkout was in protest over Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
Commerce Minister Jurin Laksanawisit, who chaired the meeting, said he would conduct a press conference to announce the forum’s results. On Saturday, Jurin had insisted the walkout would have no impact on progress made at the forum.
Thailand is chairing the Apec trade bloc this year but international tensions over the Russia-Ukraine war threaten to derail cooperation among members.
Hosted by Thailand over two days, the Bangkok meeting aimed to drive trade and economic cooperation among 21 Apec members. One goal was to promote the so-called BCG (bio-circular-green) economic model whereby micro, small and medium-sized enterprises will be geared to supply chains to help drive sustainable development.
