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WORLD NEWS Saturday 21 November 2020

APEC leaders, including Trump, agree on free trade

By EILEEN NG and other regional econo-
Associated Press mies but not the United
KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia States. Trump pulled out of
(AP) — Leaders from the the CPTPP's predecessor,
Asia-Pacific Economic Co- the Trans-Pacific Partner-
operation forum, includ- ship, which never took ef-
ing U.S. President Donald fect. Xi's comments came
Trump, pledged Friday to just after Beijing and 14
work toward free, open Asian nations inked the
and non-discriminatory Regional Comprehensive
trade and investment to re- Economic Partnership, the
vive their coronavirus-bat- world's largest free trade
tered economies. agreement.
The leaders cast aside dif- If China were to join the
ferences to issue their first CPTPP, that would make
joint statement since 2017, Xi's government a member
in which they agreed to of the Asia-Pacific region's
further deepen regional two biggest trade arrange-
integration by working to- ments, while Washington is
ward a massive free trade part of neither.
agreement involving the 21 APEC leaders adopted the
APEC economies. Putrajaya Vision 2040, a
This year's host, Malaysian new 20-year growth vision
Prime Minister Muhyiddin Monitor display showing U.S President Donald Trump, center, together with other leaders attending to replace the Bogor Goals
Yassin, told a news confer- the first virtual Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) leaders' summit, hosted by Malaysia, in named after the Indone-
ence that the U.S.-China Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, Friday, Nov. 20, 2020. Associated Press sian town where leaders
trade war that had ham- agreed in 1994 to free and
pered talks in the past has APEC, whose members for the first time amid a U.S.- speech wasn't immediately open trade and invest-
"been eclipsed" by the CO- account for 60% of global China row over trade poli- available. ment.
VID-19 pandemic. GDP, has also "pledged to cies. Trump's participation Chinese President Xi Jin- They pledged to build an
With growth in the Asia- refrain from backtracking Friday, his first since 2017, ping, in his remarks, urged "open, dynamic, resilient
Pacific region expected to and resorting to protection- came as a surprise as he countries to "defend mul- and peaceful region" by
slump 2.7% this year, from a ist measures to keep mar- challenges the outcome of tilateralism" and called for 2040, and tasked officers
3.6% growth in 2019, he said kets and borders open," he the U.S. presidential elec- the establishment of an to draw up implementation
APEC's focus was on accel- added. tion, won by Joe Biden. Last "Asia-Pacific free trade plans by next year.
erating economic recovery The APEC leaders' meet- weekend, Trump skipped zone at an early date." "We recognize the impor-
and developing an afford- ing was the first since 2018 the East Asia Summits and He told the meeting that tance of a free, open, fair,
able vaccine. after last year's host, Chile, withdrew from speaking at Beijing would also "actively non-discriminatory, trans-
"The health risks and its im- canceled the annual sum- an APEC CEO meeting ear- consider" joining the Com- parent and predictable
pact on the global eco- mit due to violent domestic lier Friday. prehensive and Progres- trade and investment envi-
nomic ecosystem has been protests. But at the Papua Trump, whose "America sive Agreement for Trans- ronment to drive economic
the major priority agenda New Guinea summit in First" policy has alienat- Pacific Partnership, a trade recovery at such a chal-
for all APEC economies this 2018, APEC leaders failed ed trading partners, ad- agreement that includes lenging time," according to
year," he said. to issue a joint statement dressed the meeting but his Japan, Canada, Mexico the joint statement. q

Dutch government unveils coronavirus vaccination plans

By MIKE CORDER istry said. "Luckily, the Neth- well as the staff. Without the
Associated Press erlands has experience cost of the vaccine shots
THE HAGUE, Netherlands with large vaccination themselves, the expected
(AP) — The Dutch govern- campaigns," Health Min- cost of the vaccination op-
ment will prioritize people ister Hugo de Jonge said. eration in the country of just
aged over 60, those in "When vaccines are deliv- over 17 million people is ex-
health risk groups and front- ered, everything is ready. pected to be between 900
line health care workers for That will probably be in the million euros and 1 billion
coronavirus vaccinations first months of 2021. But if euros ($1.1-1.2 billion).
when the shots become vaccine makers succeed The health ministry said that
available, the health minis- in delivering in December, the Netherlands is playing
try announced Friday. we can get to work straight "an active role" in European
Outlining its strategy to pro- away." The ministry said Union negotiations with five
tect people against the that based on recent re- vaccine developers and
pandemic that has killed ports from producers work- the country has contracts
more than 1.36 million peo- ing on vaccines, it expects in place for nearly 50 million In this file photo dated Friday, April 24, 2020, a police officer is
ple worldwide, the ministry to be able to vaccinate shots, enough for nearly 28 silhouetted as he passes a mural by artist Casper Cruse, showing
said vaccinations will be around 3.5 million people in million people. Negotia- a woman with a face mask holding a heart in the colors of the
free and voluntary. the first quarter of 2021. tions are still underway with dutch flag in support for those suffering from the effects of the
Dutch health authorities The government will begin Moderna for a further 3.1 coronavirus, in The Hague, Netherlands. Associated Press
already have bought 25 by offering vaccinations to million shots. The total cost
million syringes and extra the approximately 155,000 of the vaccines is expect- come this crisis, to put the for yourself, but for each
freezers for vaccines that people who live in care ed to be around 700 mil- pandemic behind us," De other. We all have a re-
need to be stored at very homes, and those who live lion euros. "The vaccine is Jonge said, urging people sponsibility to protect one
low temperatures, the min- in psychiatric institutions as our greatest asset to over- to get vaccinated "not just another."q