Name: How has APEC changed the global landscape?
Uploaded: 2025-10-24T15:31:07.081Z
Duration: 2 min 13 s
Description: APEC has laid the groundwork for a more connected global economy and led to the establishment of regional and inter-regional trade agreements. But analysts say geopolitical tensions threaten the bloc and its long-term agenda.

APEC has laid the groundwork for a more connected global economy and led to the establishment of regional and inter-regional trade agreements. But analysts say geopolitical tensions threaten the bloc and its long-term agenda.

The Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) has played a significant role in fostering economic integration and opening markets among its 21 member economies since its founding in 1989. Operating on non-binding commitments and consensus, APEC has facilitated regional and inter-regional trade agreements, benefiting many countries.

However, analysts note that increasing geopolitical tensions, particularly between the United States and China, are undermining regional cooperation and economic integration. Observers question APEC's ability to achieve its long-term goals amid political fragmentation and shifting domestic priorities. The annual APEC leaders' meetings and CEO Summit remain important forums for addressing economic challenges, but the bloc must reconsider its function in a landscape marked by deepening global competition.

How has APEC changed the global landscape?

The Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation, or APEC, says it has laid the groundwork for a more connected global economy and led to the establishment of regional and inter-regional trade agreements, helping many countries develop and open up markets. But analysts now say the rising geopolitical tension threatens to undermine regional cooperation and economic integration. Let's take a closer look at what these tensions are and the challenges this regional bloc is facing. Founded in 1989, APEC was created to serve as an informal dialogue forum to promote regional economic integration. It initially had 12 members, but has since expanded to 21, including Australia, New Zealand, the United States, China, Taiwan, Japan and ASEAN nations. Operating on a basis of non-binding commitments and open dialogue, APEC says decisions are reached through consensus and voluntary commitments. Amid tensions over trade between the U.S. and China and regional conflict, observers point to political fragmentation and domestic priorities as a reason to question APEC's ability to deliver on its long-term agenda. Steven Naj is a politics and international studies professor at the International Christian University. As we think about where the world is today, nobody wants to globalize. We're actually seeing what we call a balkanization of our international economy with China being a bloc, the United States being a bloc, probably the EU as being a bloc, and APEC is having to rethink what is actually their function when there's such severe and increasingly deepening geoeconomic and geopolitical competition between the big players, the United States and China. Alongside the annual APEC leaders' meetings, the CEO Summit brings together senior executives, key makers and thought leaders from across the Asia-Pacific region to discuss pressing global economic challenges. The side meeting with CEOs at the APEC meeting is important because, of course, APEC is about creating economic synergy, deregulating economies, creating harmonizing policies, and businesses are the immediate benefactor of those changes.

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