BANGKOK – The city of San Francisco will host the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) forum leaders’ meeting next year, Vice President Kamala Harris said as the 2022 summit wrapped up in Bangkok on Saturday.
Thai Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha, who is this week’s host, handed over the presidency of APEC to the United States for 2023, marking the end of the forum for that year.
“I am happy to hand over the presidency to the United States. We are ready for transparent cooperation with them,” he said as he presented Harris with a “chalom”, a woven bamboo basket used to transport goods. and gifts in Thailand.
“Our host year will demonstrate America’s enduring economic commitment to the Indo-Pacific,” Harris said in a statement released by the White House.
Harris is from Oakland, across the bay from San Francisco, and previously served as a U.S. senator from California and state attorney general.
Harris, who is leading the US delegation at the Bangkok summit talks, said: “We are working to strengthen our economic relationships across the region, including increasing bilateral trade flows and the free flow of capital, which supports millions of Americans. works.”
The meeting in the Californian city will take place in the week of November 12 next year, according to the US statement.
In a separate statement, APEC leaders said the group welcomed offers from Peru to host the bloc in 2024 and South Korea to host it in 2025.
Created to promote economic integration, APEC’s 21 members represent 38% of the world’s population, 62% of gross domestic product and 48% of trade.
