The gains we make from Apec

IT was a victory more than a success like no other, for Port Moresby and Papua New Guinea, a sweet and eloquent act of laconic traffic management and organisational shrewdness, applauded worldwide for the two-day Apec Leaders’ Summit 2018, that somehow came as big a surprise to all.
On telecommunications, Telikom PNG provided a 100 per cent service, beating its own record and proving its over-priced competitor wrong and won the appreciation of Apec at the same time.
Our security personnel rose to the occasion and rubbed shoulders with some of the world’s best and renowned security enterprises.
All in all, PNG successfully hosted and delivered Apec 2018. It was phenomenal.
It will be remiss of me if I didn’t say we all, one way or the other, contributed to the successful outcome of this important regional forum.
Yet again PNG has achieved greatness and asserted its position as a key player.
However, like all beautiful things, there is a thorny side – only minor glitches though – which the naysayers picked on and overplayed for whatever reasons they had, including the lack of an Apec communiqué and the desecration of Parliament House by rogue members of our local police and prison officers.
There was no agreement on an Apec 2018 communiqué because of the escalating trade war between the region’s two opposing superpowers – China and the United States.
Washington is strongly pursuing a protectionist trade approach through its “America First” policy with no sign of that abating, even against the combined efforts of the other 21 members of Apec defending free trade.
Communiqués are concessional and unanimously agreed and is not dictated to by one or more members or the chair of the Apec forum.
The damage to the national Parliament building is an internal matter and, as we speak, due processis taking its course to bring those responsible to justice.
So now let us turn a new page in a new chapter in Papua New Guinea’s position in geopolitics.
The Pacific is the only ocean in which all great economic and military powers possess territories and major interest.
The importance of the Pacific comes with the dramatic growth of trade and commerce and strategic re-alignment.
It was once the Western allies’ sphere of influence.
We have seen the spectacular rise of Japan, Malaysia, Singapore and Taiwan to become powerful industrialised nations.
South Korea is a major exporter of electronics and motor vehicles and Thailand, Vietnam, Indonesia and Philippines are big in agriculture and primary industries.
The balance of power had seesawed between the East and West until recent times when China crashed the party.
China, once considered a middle-power, has become a superpower in no time.
And with China’s emergence, world hegemony has shifted from its traditional power polar to China with the Pacific a theatre of geopolitics.
Sizing up the situation, PNG made a bold move to seize the opportunity and court China on one hand and our traditional partners on the other.
China’s long-term repayment loan, on very low interest rate, to PNG has helped the country to revive and re-develop its aging infrastructures.
Critiques like to see it as PNG juggling on a tightrope, however, the country’s leadership is optimistic and aims to maximise its returns and deals through smart diplomacy.
PNG raising its hand to host the Apec Leaders’ Summit was an insanely daring stroke that turned the tide of a hopeless situation to one that is glittering with promises and unprecedented level of support coming in.
US increased its spending to US$60 billion in response to China’s raised stake of US$30 billion worth of aid and assistance to the Pacific.
This is not to mention Australia and our traditional partners increasing their support to us and the bi-lateral agreements signed with individual member economies at the margins of the Apec meetings.
A case in point I should mention is on higher education, with China increasing its tertiary education scholarships of 20 to 500 a year.
From infrastructure, ICT, health and education to fisheries and agriculture, each sector has a story to tell. Each sector gained and it is for PNG.

David Lepi
Port Moresby