Bush wants APEC forum to set new climate goals for the
world
By Channel NewsAsia's US Correspondent, Daniel Ryntjes | Posted: 03
September 2007 1445 hrs
WASHINGTON: The issue of global warming is expected to top the
agenda at the meeting of Asia Pacific leaders in Sydney, Australia,
this weekend.
United States President George Bush said he wants to use the Asia
Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) forum to set new climate goals
for the global community.
Among the 21 countries at the APEC summit, China, Russia and the
United States are the world's top emitters of greenhouse
gases.
President Bush has indicated that he is ready to work towards
international commitments.
Heading to the summit, one US business representative said the
issue goes beyond borders.
Thomas Donohue from the US Chamber of Commerce said: "People are
beginning to understand this is not a domestic problem. A third of
the pollution in California comes from China. Now the Chinese are,
all of a sudden, saying: "We have a real problem here; we have the
Olympics". And they put a new coal-fired energy plant of some sort
up every day. So they know they have a problem, India knows it has
a problem."
Leaders will also be attempting to develop a long-term goal of
creating a wide free trade area, stretching from Chile to
China.
US business representatives said America does not want to be left
out in the cold.
"We don't want any one power to call all the shots in Asia, so we
will encourage the ASEAN countries to collaborate to develop their
own economic system as their trading system is a way of engaging
with the region, and a way of keeping some balance with China,"
said Mr Donohue.
Participants also expect to make progress on the drawn-out process
of global trade negotiations, known as the Doha round.
Even though few concrete agreements have been made at APEC forums,
negotiations behind the scenes often pave the way to progress in
other arenas.
And signs of progress on the relationship between China and the US
could have a huge impact not only on global trade, but also on the
future of the planet.
- CNA/so
