Leaders of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) economies, aside from a few including Barack Obama, have gathered at Russia's Far Eastern city of Vladivostok. What will they talk about? This is an interesting question.
APEC summits have focused on economic agendas and avoided politics.
The US has repeatedly called for the introduction of political topics, a suggestion which has been rejected by Asian countries including China.
Political divergence remains the biggest problem in Asia, which includes different ideologies and values as well as various territorial disputes.
It's highly likely that talking about these divergences at multilateral occasions like APEC summits will lead to quarrels and divisions.
The US, which advocates introducing political topics, does not want to treat all countries equally.
The level of tolerance shown by the US, the leading power in the Asia-Pacific region, plays a pivotal role in upgrading regional cooperation.
However, the US is brazenly selfish, and considers only its own interests when formulating and implementing its Asia-Pacific strategies.
The US mentality is almost the deciding factor of whether regional peace in the Asia-Pacific region can last.
As long as the US does not want a war, disputes in the South China Sea or in Northeast Asia will not grow into wars.
China's rapid development gives rise to concern in some countries. But by and large, they will gradually adapt. Only the US, with its strategic hedging against China, could create tension throughout the region, which may ultimately bring regional divisions.
Both China and the US should overcome their sharp attitudes toward each other.
The US often talks about its own sense of insecurity. But who else could feel safe if the world's strongest power insists it is "threatened?"
The US actually cares more about whether its position as the leading power in the next 50 or even 100 years will be "threatened."
Will the US therefore choose to check China's rise? This is a key puzzle of Asian politics, and the whole region may pay the cost if the US pursues "absolute security."
Due to China's rising influence at APEC, the US in recent years has seemingly been seeking to replace it with the Trans-Pacific Partnership Agreement. It appears that the US does not care about whether this will exert a negative impact on Asia's economic and political dynamics.
Despite all these problems, APEC summits will still continue and play a role in the Asia-Pacific region.
APEC summits focus on economic agendas, but at the same time they somehow serve as a political buffer which stresses broad cooperation and compromise throughout the region.
After all, APEC summits promote mutual understanding between APEC leaders, and this represents a wealth of Asia-Pacific political experience.
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