Monday, November 24, 1997
Vancouver, CanadaBreakfast with Leaders of the Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN)
Burrard Room, Waterford Centre Hotel
President Clinton will have breakfast with those ASEAN Leaders whose economies are members of APEC. The United States greatly values its relationship with the rapidly expanding ASEAN. In spite of recent financial difficulties in the region, ASEAN maintains the capacity for dynamic economic growth. The United States will continue to work with ASEAN on a variety of matters, including efforts to strengthen Southeast Asia's capability to promote financial stability, respond to and prevent environmental disasters and advance democracy in Cambodia and Burma.
Bilateral Meeting with President Soeharto of Indonesia
Princess Luisa Room, Waterford Centre Hotel
Indonesia is a key regional partner and pivotal leader within ASEAN. On issues as diverse as Cambodia, the South China Seas, the environment and peacekeeping, its voice is an important one.
President Clinton and President Soeharto are expected to discuss a variety of issues, including recent financial instability in Southeast Asia, the devastating effects of forest fires, as well as issues where the United States and Indonesia have different perspectives such as East Timor and labor rights.
Bilateral Meeting with President Jiang of China
Waterford Centre Hotel
Following the successful summit in Washington, this meeting gives President Clinton and President Jiang an opportunity to follow up on issues discussed in detail in Washington -- notably, China's accession to the WTO and human rights, including the recent release of Wei Jingsheng.
Bilateral Meeting with Prime Minister Hashimoto of Japan
Waterford Centre Hotel
President Clinton and Prime Minister Hashimoto are expected to discuss our close security ties, cooperation on regional security and economic issues, including APEC, the importance of our trade relationship, and "common agenda" issues such as the environment and counter terrorism which have been so important in redefining our alliance to meet the demands of the post Cold War era and to build a partnership for the Twenty-first Century.
President Clinton last met with Prime Minister Hashimoto in June at the Denver Summit of the Eight.
Arrival of APEC Leaders
Vancouver Trade and Convention Center
Upon arrival at the Trade and Convention Center, President Clinton will be greeted by Prime Minister Chretien and will then be escorted to the Cascades Lounge for a brief reception.
Continuing the tradition begun by President Clinton in 1993 at Blake Island, the APEC Leaders will assemble for an official photograph which, weather permitting, will feature a backdrop of the Burrard Inlet and the North Shore Mountains. The Canadians plan to present identical shirts and jackets to each leader to wear in the photo.
Vancouver Trade and Convention Center
The Vancouver Trade & Convention Centre is Vancouver's flagship convention and exhibition facility. The Centre is located on the Vancouver waterfront, is known for its soaring "five sails" roofline (teflon-coated fiberglass supported by cables from 10 steel masts) and is co-located with cruiseship facilities. Beneath the sails, are impressive column-free exhibition spaces, meeting rooms for groups of all sizes and a spacious ballroom.
The Vancouver Trade & Convention Centre can accommodate up to 8,000 guests in any combination of activities for events. Vancouver's downtown core is within safe and easy walking distance of the Centre.
The Vancouver Trade and Convention Center is part of Canada Place which opened in 1986 as the Canadian Pavilion at Expo '86.
Dialogue with APEC Business Advisory Council (ABAC) Representatives
Vancouver Trade and Convention Center
The President and his fellow APEC Leaders are expected to hear the Council's recommendations on the ways in which the APEC process can be of assistance to promote cross-border flows (the voluntary liberalization of trade in specific high-priority sectors), to develop capital markets by promoting regulation and transparency, to enhance private investment in infrastructure, and to implement plans for economic and technical cooperation.
The ABAC is the senior business advisory council to the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation forum. The APEC Business Advisory Council is comprised of three representatives from each economy representing the broad spectrum of business interests in the region. The U.S. representatives are Jack Smith, Robert Denham and Susan Corrales-Diaz.
APEC Leaders Reception, Dinner and Cultural Performance
Hosted by Prime Minister Chretien
Stadium Floor
British Columbia Place
The 1,000 invitees to the APEC Leaders Dinner and Cultural Performance will include APEC leaders, ministers and other government officials along with attending spouses, senior business executives attending the parallel CEO Summit and a number of eminent Canadians.
British Columbia Place
B.C. Place Stadium is the biggest air-supported domed stadium in the world. Officially opened by in 1983 by Queen Elizabeth, the 60,000 seat stadium has hosted a myriad of sporting and cultural events ranging from professional football to the Papal Tour and the Rolling Stones to the Three Tenors. With its thin (1/30th inch) fiberglass and Teflon roof, the stadium is the perfect site for both BC Lions football and the numerous trade and exhibitions it hosts annually. With nearly 247,000 square feet of exhibition floor space, BC Place Stadium has become one of Canada's busiest trade show venues.
Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation Leaders Meeting
President Clinton invited the APEC leaders to meet for the first time at Blake Island, Washington, in 1993 in order to shape a vision for an Asia-Pacific community. In 1994, the leaders met in Bogor, Indonesia and agreed to establish free and open trade and investment regimes by the year 2010 for APEC's developed economies, and 2020 for its developing economies. In 1995, APEC leaders met in Osaka, Japan and endorsed a concrete action agenda to make that vision a reality. The President was unable to attend that meeting due to the government shutdown; the Vice President represented the United States at the Osaka APEC Leaders' Meeting.
The 1996 APEC meetings in Subic Bay, Philippines put forward comprehensive and comparable individual action plans to advance significantly APEC's trade liberalization. At Subic Bay, the leaders endorsed the Information Technology Agreement (ITA) to eliminate all tariffs in that market sector by the year 2000, covering products including computers, semiconductors and telecommunication equipment.
Economic relations are a key part of the foreign policy of the Clinton Administration and U.S. strength, security, and prosperity depend on engagement in the world and participation in overseas markets. Asia accounts for half the world's population and half its economic output. America is committed to remaining engaged in the region to advance U.S. commercial interests and to benefit American workers and consumers. Open markets, economic development, and increased prosperity support traditional American foreign policy objectives by providing a sound foundation for peace and stability in the Asia Pacific region.
APEC '97 Leaders Meeting
Member Economy Leader Australia Prime Minister John Howard Brunei Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah Canada Prime Minister Joseph-Jacques Jean Chretien Chile President Eduardo Frei Ruiz-Tagle China President Jiang Zemin Hong Kong Chief Executive, C.H. Tung Indonesia President Soeharto Japan Prime Minister Ryutaro Hashimoto Malaysia Prime Minister Mahathir bin Mohamad Mexico President Ernesto Zedillo Ponce de Leon New Zealand Prime Minister James Bolger Papua New Guinea Prime Minister William Skate Philippines President Fidel Ramos Singapore Prime Minister Goh Chok Tong South Korea President Kim Yong-Sam Taiwan Chairman, Straits Exchange Foundation C.F. Koo Thailand Prime Minister Chawalit U.S.A. President William Jefferson Clinton
5th Annual APEC Economic Leaders Meeting
Monday 11-24-97
Remarks to the Vancouver U.S. Consulate Staff
Remarks by Clinton and President Jiang Zemin
Remarks by Clinton and President Hashimoto of Japan
Press Briefing on International Economic Policy Dan Tarullo
Press Conference by The President and Prime Minister Chretien of Canada
Press Briefing by National Security Advisor
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