Apec summit aims to demonstrate the growing importance of the Asia-Pacific region

Leaders of the 21 member countries of the Asia-Pacific economic cooperation forum begin a two-day summit in the Thai capital, Bangkok, on Friday.

AP - Sakchai Lalit

Text by: RFI Follow

1 min

The Apec Asia-Pacific summit opens Friday, November 18, in Bangkok, Thailand, in the presence of 21 heads of state from the region and beyond: France has also been invited as a partner and Emmanuel Macron has arrived. Wednesday in the Thai capital.

This summit aims to highlight the growing importance of this region of the world.

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This is the third international summit to be held in a week in Southeast Asia, reports our correspondent in Bangkok,

.

First there was the ASEAN summit in Phnom Penh, then the G20 which has just ended in Bali, and finally Apec in Bangkok.

The Thai capital is under high security, with more than 30,000 police officers deployed, schools in the capital are closed for three days, some roads cut off.

Chinese head of state Xi Jingping is one of the guests, the United States will be represented by Kamala Harris, Russia is sending a deputy prime minister, Andrei Belousov;

perhaps an opportunity to end conversations started at the G20.

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A strategic area

As for Emmanuel Macron, he will take the opportunity to discuss France's new Indo-Pacific strategy, a year after the Australian

which weakened French positions.

On this subject, he said on Thursday that the offer of French cooperation on submarines with Australia remained " 

 ".

The Head of State wants to take note of the growing importance of a region which represents 60% of the world's population and economy, a stronghold of technological innovation and a major biodiversity resource.

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• France

• APEC

• Thailand

• Emmanuel Macron

• Australia

• Russia

• China