APEC 2015 welcome ceremony
APEC 2015 welcome ceremony
Apec Ceremony held in tuekey. the world top level leaders met there to discuss many issues.
hilippine President Benigno Aquino promised to be the "perfect host" to all leaders attending a regional summit, but a long and lonely red carpet welcome walk for China's Xi Jinping on Wednesday (Nov 18) betrayed their nations' icy ties.
Aquino led the heads of the 21-member Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) group along a red carpet laid throughout the summit venue in Manila to a stage where they gathered for an opening ceremony.
Xi and Chile's Michelle Bachelet were in the front row alongside Aquino. But Aquino conversed only with Bachelet, laughing and chatting amiably, leaving Xi to plod sombrely alone through the sprawling convention centre with nobody to talk with.
The awkward walk, which lasted four minutes and seven seconds, ended when Xi entered the hall for the opening ceremony and an unidentified official approached him.
US President Barack Obama was absent from the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation leaders' dialogue with business delegates, the only APEC leader to miss the event on Wednesday, November 18.
The 20 other APEC economic leaders or their representatives were present at the event at the Philippine International Convention Center (PICC), with live video footage of each of their arrival broadcast on TV and online.
Instead, US Trade Representative Michael Froman was seen last, alighting from a vehicle, and entering the PICC.
The afternoon event started with the official welcome for the APEC leaders, followed by a dialogue with the APEC Business Advisory Council (ABAC), the private sector's voice in APEC. In the dialogue, ABAC leaders present their policy recommendations to the leaders after a year of meetings and study.
The participating APEC economies are: Australia, Brunei Darussalam, Canada, Chile, China, Hong Kong-China, Indonesia, Japan, Republic of Korea, Malaysia, Mexico, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, Peru, Philippines, Russia, Singapore, Chinese Taipei, Thailand, United States, and Vietnam.