Protests continue as Obama praises TPP at APEC summit
Tele Sur | 18 November 2015
Protests continue as Obama praises TPP at APEC summit
APEC has been overshadowed by South China Sea tensions and terrorism, but still as leaders discuss free trade, protesters slam them for worsening poverty.
Activists protesting against the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation Summit (APEC) in Manila, Philippines, clashed with police on Wednesday in attempts to take their demonstration to the site of the the APEC meetings, where world leaders also met to discuss the controversial Trans Pacific Partnership.
Filipino and international protesters have slammed APEC for promoting economic development that caters to the interests of transnational corporations while worsening poverty and inequality for people in the Philippines and around the world.
Social movements including labor unions, women’s groups, students, Indigenous people, farmer organizations, and international activists have protested the negative impacts of APEC’s free trade model, which they say has increased poverty, undermined local agriculture, displaced rural and indigenous people, increased tuition rates, and contributed to skyrocketing unemployment and privatized healthcare.
Scuffles broke out as activists tried to make their way through police cordons and get closer to the APEC meetings.
Manila is on security lockdown with scores of police and other security personnel in the wake of last Friday’s deadly Paris attacks. According to Rappler, a 28,000-strong police force is “prepared for the worst” when it comes to protests.
Protesters have urged the government not to use security as a pretext to crackdown on peaceful protest. Many residents have complained about difficulties and disruptions to daily life as a result of the summit security and attempts by the Philippine government to make a good impression on international visitors.
But while protesters slam the downfalls of free trade, deregulation, and privatization, APEC leaders inside the summit are keen on continuing those policies through new trade deals, including the TPP.
In a meeting of TPP leaders on the sidelines of APEC on Wednesday, President Barack Obama applauded the TPP as a “good deal economically,” stressing the importance of putting the TPP into action as a deal that captures the “common interests” of the APEC bloc.
"Execution is critical after we arrived at the text," said President Obama during a meeting with the leaders of 12-nation transnational trade deal. "TPP is at the heart of our shared vision for the future of this dynamic region."
The meeting in Manila marks the first time the leaders of the TPP have met since the full text of the deal was released earlier this month. Governments now have a window of time to push the deal through to make it a reality, which according to Obama is not an easy task.
The TPP has been criticized for preparing to exacerbate the worst impacts of trade liberalization under existing agreements by further eliminating barriers to trade and strengthening global corporate power.
Aside from international trade, the usual mainstay APEC, the summit has also been overshadowed by issues terrorism and tensions in the South China Sea.
President Obama called on China on Wednesday to back down on land reclamation in the disputed area and reiterated security support for the Philippines, a longtime U.S. ally.
Obama also called on Russia to focus its efforts in Syria on combatting the Islamic State group, echoing calls from French President Francois Hollande earlier this week for Russia and the U.S. to join forces in international coalition in the fight against Islamic State group militants.
APEC, a 21-economy bloc that already accounts for nearly half of global trade, is looking to expand its free trade area by 2025.
