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Global powers head to Asia with trade, AI, security in focus
Leaders from across the world are due to attend a run of Asian summits, where trade, artificial intelligence and security will be on the agenda. The meetings matter because they bring major powers together amid strained relations and unresolved conflicts, though analysts expect limited concrete progress.
ASEAN’s 11 members open their final leaders’ summit of the year in Manila on Sunday, 15 November, followed by APEC in Shenzhen. Narendra Modi is expected at ASEAN, while Donald Trump, Mark Carney and Vladimir Putin are due at APEC; a possible Trump meeting with Xi and Putin may focus on nuclear disarmament, but a breakthrough is seen as unlikely. APEC may also build on a US-China channel for discussing AI incidents, while the Philippines is unlikely to secure a South China Sea code of conduct with China during its ASEAN chairmanship.
In short
- Asian summits will put trade, AI and security in focus.
- Trump, Xi and Putin may discuss nuclear disarmament.
- An ASEAN code of conduct on the South China Sea looks unlikely.
Explained simply
ASEAN is a group of 11 countries in south-east Asia that meet to discuss regional issues. APEC brings together economies from around the Pacific, including the United States, China and Canada, to talk about trade and economic cooperation.
The meetings offer leaders a chance to discuss issues that cross borders, including trade, artificial intelligence and security. Their discussions take place against a backdrop of strained relations between major powers and unresolved conflicts.
The South China Sea is a contested area where China and several south-east Asian countries have competing claims. The Philippines has sought an agreement on how countries should handle disputes there, while concerns about nuclear weapons and AI incidents have also brought the United States, China and Russia into focus.
AI Americas Asia Geopolitics Government Politics Technology World