Canada, Indonesia agree to trade pact as APEC summit braces for Trump
Global News
The APEC summit marked the end of trade talks that should lead to Canada signing a new deal with the world's fourth-most populous country next year.
Ottawa has concluded negotiations for a trade deal with Indonesia and is proposing nuclear-energy collaboration with Southeast Asian leaders.
The moves are a show of faith for multilateralism as the re-election of Donald Trump in the United States is raising fears of further strain in global co-operation on trade and the environment.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto held a bilateral meeting on the sidelines of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit in Lima on Friday, announcing the end of trade talks that should lead to Canada signing a new deal with the world’s fourth-most populous country next year.
It comes as Trump’s impending return to the White House looms large over the discussions of the APEC grouping, which aims to improve trade among Pacific Rim nations.
Trump’s first presidency saw him pull back from many multilateral agreements, including the Paris climate agreement and the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership trade deal, of which half of APEC nations are members.
This time around, he has promised to slap at least a 10 per cent across-the-board import tax on all goods coming into the United States, which is causing great concern among America’s trading partners and has been a frequent topic of discussion at the summit.
“APEC is meeting in the context of rising protectionism, intense geopolitical competition, uncertain economic growth and the Trump election,” said Vina Nadjibulla, research vice-president for the Asia Pacific Foundation.
She said Trudeau has been pushing to preserve rules-based trade “that is critical to our prosperity,” especially with like-minded countries.
The incident took place more than a month ago, on October 13, but it wasn't reported until the British tabloids got wind of the story.
Health officials said Saturday they have confirmed the first U.S. case of a new form of mpox that was first seen in eastern Congo.
Washington is easing limits on what Ukraine can strike with U.S.-made weaponry, U.S. officials told The Associated Press on Sunday.
Ukraine plans to conduct its first long-range attacks in the coming days, sources said, without revealing details due to operational security concerns.
Concerns storm surges could raise water levels between one and three feet above ground level as Tropical Storm Sara makes landfall in Belize.
Air defenses could be heard engaging drones over Kyiv in the night, and a series of powerful blasts rang out across the city as the missile attack was under way in the morning.
John Kirton, head of the G20 Research Group, says the forum is the main tool countries have to prepare for the second Donald Trump presidency.
Israeli airstrikes on the village of Khreibeh in the Baalbek District of eastern Lebanon killed six people on Saturday, including three children the Lebanese health ministry said.
The APEC summit marked the end of trade talks that should lead to Canada signing a new deal with the world's fourth-most populous country next year.
The Port of Montreal authority confirms that the Canada Industrial Relations Board has ordered operations to resume as of 7 a.m. Saturday.
The world saw a 20 per cent jump in measles cases in 2023, driven by a lack of vaccine coverage in the poorest countries and those riddled by conflict.