SPECIAL COVERAGE — APEC 2025 at Asia Society, Manhattan

After Gyeongju: APEC 2025 Outcomes and the Future of Regional Cooperation

Yesterday’s Asia Society program in New York gathered senior U.S. and Korean officials and regional experts to break down what APEC 2025 achieved — and what it didn’t — following the Gyeongju leaders’ meetings.

Opening and Key Themes

South Korean Ambassador to the United States Kyung-Wha Kang opened the event, followed by remarks from other officials, who highlighted several milestones:

• Culture and Creative Industries recognized for the first time in APEC’s history.

• Demographic change introduced as a formal topic by South Korea, leading to a new leaders’ framework on aging and workforce sustainability.

• Acknowledgment of innovation gaps across APEC economies due to differing stages of AI development.

Speakers reiterated that APEC’s strength continues to be deep engagement with the private sector — something both President Trump and President Lee participated in during their meetings on the sidelines.

President Lee met with China, Canada, Vietnam, the U.S., and several others. South Korea also facilitated the high-profile Xi–Trump meeting, which dominated diplomatic headlines.

APEC outcomes remain non-binding, but this year produced three consensus documents:

1. Trade (with softened language on the WTO’s importance)

2. AI cooperation

3. Demographic change

South Korea also hosted 14 ministerial meetings throughout the year.

Casey Mace: U.S. Senior Official to APEC

Casey Mace, the U.S. Senior Official to APEC and the head of economic policy for the State Department’s East Asia bureau, delivered a detailed update on U.S. objectives.

Mace — formerly Chargé d’Affaires and Deputy Chief of Mission at the U.S. Embassy in Singapore — has more than 23 years of Indo-Pacific diplomatic experience.

He stressed that U.S. commitment to APEC “shouldn’t be doubted,” citing robust American “investment and engagement.”He then outlined three areas where the administration believes it successfully advanced the America First agenda:

1. Fair and balanced trade

2. AI as the foundation of economic systems

   • Praised South Korea for “injecting AI as the powerful force that can support trade, medicine.”

   • Asserted that the U.S. is the leading country in AI, pointing to the White House’s new AI “super plan.”

3. LNG as the priority energy solution

   • “We are a big exporter, we would love to export and sell you more LNG,” he said.

   • Emphasized LNG’s role in affordability and energy stability.

He added that Congress allocated $20 million for AI research and development — a multiyear investment.

China’s Turn at the Helm

The first China-led APEC session — a collaborative meeting — will be held on December 17, followed by the formal China-hosted APEC 2026 opening meetings in January.

Panel: “What’s Deliverable? Does APEC Still Matter?”

Moderated by Wendy Cutler, the panel featured:

• Daniel Russel, ASPI Distinguished Fellow and former Assistant Secretary of State for East Asian and Pacific Affairs

• Chul Chung, Chief Research Officer, Federation of Korean Industries

• Richard Cantor, Vice Chairman, Moody’s Investors Service

Trump’s Early Departure: A Diplomatic Misstep?

Korea expressed clear disappointment that President Trump did not stay for the APEC leaders’ summit.

Daniel Russel offered one of the most memorable critiques:

Attending side meetings in the region but skipping the APEC leaders’ event “is like going to a rehearsal dinner but skipping the wedding.”

He noted that past presidents only missed APEC during domestic crises, not for leisure — and that Trump’s absence allowed Xi Jinping to dominate the stage:

“The U.S. shouldn’t be at a golf course while China is at the global leadership table.”

China’s Positioning

• China’s theme for 2026: connect, innovate, prosper

• A renewed push for connectivity and the first free trade declaration proposal in eight years at APEC 2025

• “Perhaps because Mister Trump left,” one speaker quipped.

Russel warned that the coming era may see:

“Multilateralism with Chinese characteristics”where AI standards become the core of geopolitical influence.

He joked that “multilateralism” is practically a banned word in Washington but said China is actively framing itself as the champion of a rules-based system — despite continuing to operate by its own standards.

Motivations, Security, and the AI Race

Analysts noted that Trump’s primary interest appeared to be a possible meeting with Kim Jong Un.

Despite Trump framing his decisions as “nothing personal,” experts said his foreign policy choices consistently appear personally motivated.

Technology and Defense Highlights

• Blackwell chips:Russel said China remains determined to reduce dependence on the U.S. and build a self-contained ecosystem — but noted:

“Can China build trust? Because right now, the trust isn’t there.”

• Naval shipyards:The U.S. lacks the industrial capacity to meet commitments to Australia, “let alone South Korea.”Any feasible arrangement would require ships to be built in South Korea, he said.And he stressed the President must understand the difference between nuclear-capable ships and nuclear-powered submarines.

Looking Ahead

Experts reiterated that the next phase of U.S.–Asia engagement is highly unpredictable:

• A new balancing act

• A period of recession

• Or a stage of intensified global isolation

All remain possible.

For now, the APEC calendar moves forward under China’s leadership, beginning with the December 17 collaborative session, and setting the stage for a complex year ahead in trade, AI, regional security, and multilateral norms.