Opposition to APEC
From Nov. 11-17, leaders from 20 nations across the Pacific Rim gathered in San Francisco for the annual Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Summit. An activist coalition known as No to APEC greeted the visiting world leaders with a countersummit decrying APEC as a forum to advance the interests of transnational corporations at the expense of workers and the environment.
Alternate Vision of Cooperation
While the Biden administration worked to construct a new free trade regime in the Pacific exclusive of China, known as the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework (IPEF), grassroots organizations in the No to APEC Coalition advanced an alternate vision of international cooperation and development in opposition to the corporate, pro-war agenda pushed by the US and allied governments at APEC. The Real News speaks with Nina Macapinlac of the No to APEC Coalition Steering Committee.
Interview with Nina Macapinlac
Nina Macapinlac is the Secretary General of BAYAN USA (Bagong Alyansang Makabayan). They also serve on the Steering Committee of the US Country Chapter of the International League of Peoples’ Struggle (ILPS), an alliance of over 300 organizations around the world fighting imperialism.
Discussion on APEC and IPEF
Ju-Hyun Park: Welcome to The Real News. I’m Juhyun Park and I’ll be your host for this episode. Today, we’ll be discussing APEC, or the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation, and the IPEF, or the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework: Two US trade initiatives in the Pacific region that seek to uphold American economic dominance over the world at the expense of workers, the environment, and very possibly, a peaceful future. We’ll be speaking with Nina Macapinlac of BAYAN-USA, a core organization at the helm of the No to APEC Coalition that shut down the recent APEC Summit in San Francisco, attended by the leaders of 20 countries from across the Pacific Rim.
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Protests Against APEC Summit
Last month, from November 11-17, 20 world leaders gathered in San Francisco for the 2023 APEC Summit. Their presence was met with staunch opposition as 10,000 local protesters gathered at the opening ceremony of the summit to denounce APEC. Over the following days, activists from a broad coalition of organizations hosted a people’s counter-summit against APEC, which they described as a forum that promotes the interests of big business and transnational corporations over the working class, the environment, and the cost of peace around the world.
Interview with Nina Macapinlac
Joining The Real News today to discuss APEC and the People’s Counter Summit is Nina Macapinlac, the Secretary General of BAYAN-USA which stands for Bagong Alyansang Makabayan. BAYAN is the first overseas chapter of BAYAN Philippines, an anti-imperialist, multi-sectoral alliance of organizations fighting for national democracy in the Philippines. Nina serves on the steering committee of the US Country Chapter of the International League of Peoples’ Struggle or ILPS, an alliance of over 300 organizations around the world fighting imperialism. They also sat on the steering committee of the No to APEC Coalition that organized a counter-summit and mobilized against the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation, APEC, which was hosted in San Francisco. Nina is based in Philadelphia.
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By: Ju-Hyun Park
Title: Activist Coalition Protests APEC Summit in San Francisco, Calling for International Cooperation and Development
Sourced From: therealnews.com/why-activists-shut-down-the-2023-apec-summit-in-san-francisco
Published Date: Tue, 12 Dec 2023 22:07:54 +0000
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