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.