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49-577: The construction of the bridge commenced in November 2009 in anticipation of the APEC Leaders' Meeting in Vladivostok in 2012. The Pacific Bridge Construction Company («Тихоокеанская мостостроительная компания») served as the main contractor for the project. The bridge was officially opened and put into operation on August 11, 2012. Serving as a crucial component of Federal Highway A370 , the bridge now connects

98-620: A kira and wonju for women, including when on official business, in schools and institutions, and at official occasions and assemblies". These restrictions apply to when people are in or near "monastic fortresses ( dzong ), monasteries ( gompa ) and temples ( lhakhang ), and in government buildings. Karin Altmann, a scholar of textile arts, states that the intent behind this law "was to prevent specific features of Bhutanese culture from disappearing," and "to emphasize national identity", but it has contributed to much conflict due to

147-478: A 2008 research brief published by the World Bank as part of its Trade Costs and Facilitation Project, increasing transparency in the region's trading system is critical if APEC is to meet its Bogor Goal targets. The APEC Business Travel Card , a travel document for visa-free business travel within the region is one of the concrete measures to facilitate business. In May 2010 Russia joined the scheme, thus completing

196-668: A FTAAP arose due to the lack of progress in the Doha round of World Trade Organization negotiations, and as a way to overcome the "noodle bowl" effect created by overlapping and conflicting elements of the copious free trade agreements – there were approximately 60 free trade agreements in 2007, with an additional 117 in the process of negotiation in Southeast Asia and the Asia-Pacific region. In 2012, ASEAN+6 countries alone had 339 free trade agreements – many of which were bilateral. The FTAAP

245-449: A compound dress code such as "business suit or national dress". There are also contemporary societies in which traditional garments are required by sumptuary laws . In Bhutan , for example, the driglam namzha mandates what citizens should wear in public spaces. Bhutanese citizens must wear the traditional clothing of the Ngalop people , including a gho and kera for men and

294-434: A cutting-edge lighting system was introduced on the bridge, consisting of approximately 260 LED lamps produced by the company GreenEC, resulting in a combination of enhanced safety measures and aesthetic appeal. 43°14′48″N 131°57′51″E  /  43.24667°N 131.96417°E  / 43.24667; 131.96417 APEC Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation ( APEC / ˈ eɪ p ɛ k / AY -pek )

343-461: A dozen other economies that have applied for membership in APEC. Colombia applied for APEC's membership as early as in 1995, but its bid was halted as the organisation stopped accepting new members from 1993 to 1996, and the moratorium was further prolonged to 2007 due to the 1997 Asian financial crisis . As a regional organization, APEC has always played a leading role in the area of reform initiatives in

392-789: A famous tradition, followed for most (but not all) summits, involves the attending leaders dressing in a national costume of the host country. APEC has three official observers: the Association of Southeast Asian Nations Secretariat, the Pacific Economic Cooperation Council and the Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat. APEC's Host Economy of the Year is considered to be invited in the first place for geographical representation to attend G20 meetings following G20 guidelines. The initial inspiration for APEC came when

441-475: A new start to global free-trade negotiations while condemning terrorism and other threats to security. APEC also criticised North Korea for conducting a nuclear test and a missile test launch that year, urging the country to take "concrete and effective" steps toward nuclear disarmament . Concerns about nuclear proliferation in the region was discussed in addition to economic topics. The United States and Russia signed an agreement as part of Russia's bid to join

490-748: A specially designed aloha shirt as a gift but were not expected to wear it for the photo. Leaders in Bali, Indonesia at the 2013 conference wore a batik outfit; in China 2014 Tang suit jackets; in the Philippines 2015 barong tagalogs ; in Peru 2016 vicuña wool shawls; in 2017 Vietnamese silk shirts. APEC has been criticised for promoting free trade agreements that would impose restrictions on national and local laws, which regulate and ensure labour rights, environmental protection and safe and affordable access to medicine. According to

539-697: Is an inter-governmental forum for 21 member economies in the Pacific Rim that promotes free trade throughout the Asia-Pacific region. Following the success of ASEAN 's series of post-ministerial conferences launched in the mid-1980s, APEC started in 1989, in response to the growing interdependence of Asia-Pacific economies and the advent of regional trade blocs in other parts of the world; it aimed to establish new markets for agricultural products and raw materials beyond Europe. Headquartered in Singapore , APEC

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588-401: Is clothing associated with a particular ethnic group , nation or region, and is an expression of cultural , religious or national identity . If the clothing is that of an ethnic group, it may also be called ethnic clothing or ethnic dress . Traditional clothing often has two forms: everyday wear, and formal wear . The word "costume" in this context is sometimes considered pejorative, as

637-531: Is more ambitious in scope than the Doha round, which limits itself to reducing trade restrictions. The FTAAP would create a free trade zone that would considerably expand commerce and economic growth in the region. The economic expansion and growth in trade could exceed the expectations of other regional free trade areas such as the ASEAN Plus Three (ASEAN + China, South Korea and Japan). Some criticisms include that

686-421: Is recognized as one of the highest-level multilateral blocs and oldest forums in the Asia-Pacific region, and exerts significant global influence. The heads of government of all APEC members except Taiwan (which is represented by a ministerial-level official as economic leader ) attend an annual APEC Economic Leaders' Meeting. The location of the meeting rotates annually among the member economies, and

735-646: The 2001 Leaders' Meeting in Shanghai, APEC leaders pushed for a new round of trade negotiations and support for a program of trade capacity-building assistance, leading to the launch of the Doha Development Agenda a few weeks later. The meeting also endorsed the Shanghai Accord proposed by the United States, emphasising the implementation of open markets, structural reform, and capacity building . As part of

784-486: The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN)'s series of post-ministerial conferences, launched in the mid-1980s, had demonstrated the feasibility and value of regular conferences among ministerial-level representatives of both developed and developing economies. By 1986, the post-ministerial conferences had expanded to embrace 12 members (the then six members of ASEAN and its six dialogue partners). The developments led Australian Prime Minister Bob Hawke to believe in

833-505: The Pacific Economic Cooperation Council in 1980 and then APEC in 1989. In the wake of the 2006 summit, economist C. Fred Bergsten advocated a Free Trade Agreement of Asia-Pacific, including the United States amongst the proposed parties to any agreement at that time. His ideas convinced the APEC Business Advisory Council to support this concept. Relatedly, ASEAN and existing free trade agreement (FTA) partners negotiated

882-660: The Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP), not officially including Russia. The Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) without China or Russia involved became the US-promoted trade negotiation in the region. At the APEC summit in Beijing in 2014, the three plans were all in discussion. President Obama hosted a TPP meeting at the US Embassy in Beijing in advance of the APEC gathering. The proposal for

931-399: The 2011 APEC meeting, U.S. President Barack Obama joked that he looked forward to seeing the leaders dressed in "flowered shirts and grass skirts". After viewing previous photos, and concerned that having the leaders dress in aloha shirts might give the wrong impression during a period of economic austerity, Obama instead decided it might be time to end the tradition. Leaders were given

980-536: The 2014 APEC summit in Beijing, APEC leaders agreed to launch "a collective strategic study" on the FTAAP and instruct officials to undertake the study, consult stakeholders and report the result by the end of 2016. APEC Executive Director Alan Bollard revealed in the Elite Talk show that FTAAP will be APEC's big goal out into the future. The Trans-Pacific Partnership included 12 of the 21 APEC members and had provisions for

1029-529: The APEC conference, the APCs are funded independently and choose their own research topics. As of December 2018, there are 70 APCs among the member economies. An annual conference is usually held in the host economy for that year. The APEC Business Advisory Council (ABAC) was created by the APEC Economic Leaders in November 1995 with the aim of providing advice to the APEC Economic Leaders on ways to achieve

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1078-479: The Asia-Pacific region, and outlining business views about priority regional issues. ABAC is also the only non-governmental organisation that is on the official agenda of the APEC Economic Leader's Meeting. Since its formation in 1989, APEC has held annual meetings with representatives from all member economies. The first four annual meetings were attended by ministerial-level officials. Beginning in 1993,

1127-475: The Bogor Goals and other specific business sector priorities, and to provide the business perspective on specific areas of co-operation. Each economy nominates up to three members from the private sector to ABAC. These business leaders represent a wide range of industry sectors. ABAC provides an annual report to APEC Economic Leaders containing recommendations to improve the business and investment environment in

1176-652: The Republic of China, participating under the name "Chinese Taipei") alongside People's Republic of China (see Cross-Strait relations ), as well as Hong Kong, which entered APEC as a British colony but it is now a Special Administrative Region of the People's Republic of China . APEC also includes three official observers: ASEAN , the Pacific Islands Forum and the Pacific Economic Cooperation Council . India has requested membership in APEC, and received initial support from

1225-509: The United States, South Korea, Australia, and Papua New Guinea. Officials have decided not to allow India to join for various reasons, including the fact that India does not border the Pacific Ocean, which all current members do. However, India was invited to be an observer for the first time in November 2011. Bangladesh, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Macau , Mongolia, Laos, Cambodia, Costa Rica, Colombia , Panama, and Ecuador, are among

1274-588: The World Trade Organization. The APEC Australia 2007 Leaders' Meeting was held in Sydney from 2–9 September 2007. The political leaders agreed to an "aspirational goal" of a 25% reduction of energy intensity correlative with economic development. Extreme security measures including airborne sharpshooters and extensive steel-and-concrete barricades were deployed against anticipated protesters and potential terrorists. However, protest activities were peaceful and

1323-441: The accession of other APEC members, five of which expressed interest in membership. In 1993, APEC Leaders decided to establish a network of APEC Study Centres (APCs) among universities and research institutions in member economies. The purpose is to foster cooperation among tertiary and research institutes of member economies, thus having better academic collaboration on key regional economic challenges. To encourage independence from

1372-581: The accord, the meeting committed to develop and implement APEC transparency standards, reduce trade transaction costs in the Asia-Pacific region by five percent over five years, and pursue trade liberalisation policies relating to information technology goods and services. In 2003, Jemaah Islamiah leader Riduan Isamuddin had planned to attack the APEC Leaders Meeting to be held in Bangkok in October. He

1421-405: The annual meeting rotates among the members. Currently, APEC has 21 members. The criterion for membership, however, is that each member must be an independent economic entity, rather than a sovereign state. As a result, APEC uses the term member economies rather than member countries to refer to its members. One result of this criterion is that membership of the forum includes Taiwan (officially

1470-605: The annual meetings are named APEC Economic Leaders' Meetings and are attended by the heads of government from all member economies except Taiwan, which is represented by a ministerial-level official. In 1997, the APEC meeting was held in Vancouver . Controversy arose after officers of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police used pepper spray against protesters. The protesters objected to the presence of autocratic leaders such as Indonesian president Suharto . At

1519-410: The area of business facilitation. The APEC Trade Facilitation Action Plan (TFAPI) has contributed to a reduction of 6% in the cost of business transactions across the region between 2002 and 2006. According to APEC's projections, the cost of conducting business transactions will be reduced by another 5% between 2007 and 2010. To this end, a new Trade Facilitation Action Plan has been endorsed. According to

Amur Bay Bridge - Misplaced Pages Continue

1568-516: The bridge can experience the full impact of the sea's powerful forces and witness the waves crashing against the bridge supports. The bridge builders faced the challenge of driving piles into the bottom of the Amur Bay, with the longest pile being 55 meters and the shortest being 23 meters. Only a few super-powerful pile driving hammers were able to handle this task, with limited availability in Primorye and

1617-505: The circle. APEC first formally started discussing the concept of a Free Trade Area of the Asia-Pacific (FTAAP) at its summit in 2006 in Hanoi. However, the proposal for such an area has been around since at least 1966 and Japanese economist Kiyoshi Kojima  [ ja ] 's proposal for a Pacific Free Trade agreement proposal. While it gained little traction, the idea led to the formation of Pacific Trade and Development Conference and then

1666-495: The cities of Khabarovsk and Vladivostok, providing a vital link for transportation and facilitating easier access between the two locations. The bridge is a type of trestle structure that crosses over the sea at a height of just a few meters above the water. This is why it is commonly referred to as a low-water bridge, as the clearance underneath is only six meters high, making it impossible for even small boats to pass through. During inclement weather conditions, individuals crossing

1715-423: The diversion of trade within APEC members would create trade imbalances, market conflicts and complications with nations of other regions. The development of the FTAAP is expected to take many years, involving essential studies, evaluations and negotiations between member economies. It is also affected by the absence of political will and popular agitations and lobbying against free trade in domestic politics. At

1764-403: The leaders dressing to reflect the culture of the host member. The tradition dates to the first such meeting in 1993 when then-U.S. President Bill Clinton insisted on informal attire and gave the leaders leather bomber jackets . At the 2010 meeting, Japan had the leaders dress in smart casual rather than the traditional kimono . Similarly, when Honolulu was selected in 2009 as the site for

1813-836: The necessity of region-wide co-operation on economic matters. In January 1989, Bob Hawke called for more effective economic co-operation across the Pacific Rim region. This led to the first meeting of APEC in the Australian capital of Canberra in November, chaired by Australian Foreign Affairs Minister Gareth Evans . Attended by ministers from twelve countries, the meeting concluded with commitments to hold future annual meetings in Singapore and South Korea . Ten months later, representatives of 12 Asia-Pacific economies met in Canberra, Australia, to establish APEC. The APEC Secretariat, based in Singapore,

1862-790: The organisation, it is "the premier forum for facilitating economic growth, cooperation, trade and investment in the Asia-Pacific region" established to "further enhance economic growth and prosperity for the region and to strengthen the Asia-Pacific community". The effectiveness and fairness of its role has been questioned, especially from the viewpoints of European countries that cannot take part in APEC and Pacific Island nations that cannot participate but stand to be affected by its decisions. National costume [REDACTED] = Day (before 6 p.m.) [REDACTED] = Evening (after 6 p.m.)     = Bow tie colour [REDACTED] = Ladies [REDACTED] = Gentlemen Folk costume , traditional dress , traditional attire or folk attire ,

1911-448: The rest of the country. For instance, the hammer used for the main bridge piles weighs 46 tonnes, with its striking part weighing 28 tonnes. Operating on a principle similar to an artillery shot, this Dutch equipment is capable of driving both horizontal and inclined piles effectively. The span was carefully moved along the supports, a distance of two kilometers on either side. To facilitate this process, custom slipways were constructed and

1960-607: The security envelope was penetrated with ease by a spoof diplomatic motorcade manned by members of the Australian television program The Chaser , one of whom was dressed to resemble the Al-Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden . The APEC Chile 2019 , originally to be held 16–17 November 2019 in Chile, was cancelled due to ongoing protests by sections of its population over inequality, the cost of living and police repression. The 2023 APEC meeting

2009-405: The six cross-section beams were simultaneously driven in both directions. The combined weight of the entire span totaled 18,000 tonnes. As the two sections of the span neared the joint, the construction team had to carefully maneuver the 4.5 thousand ton structure into place. The bridge stands out from other similar structures due to its unique lighting design. Instead of traditional halogen lights,

Amur Bay Bridge - Misplaced Pages Continue

2058-777: The summit urged the European Union to agree to reduce farm subsidies . In a continuation of the climate information sharing initiative established by the APEC Climate Network working group, it was decided by the leaders to install the APEC Climate Center in Busan. Peaceful protests against APEC were staged in Busan, but the meeting schedule was not affected. At the Leaders' Meeting held on 19 November 2006 in Hanoi , APEC leaders called for

2107-428: The various parts of the span were securely welded together. Following rigorous ultrasonic testing, the permanent formwork and reinforced concrete slabs that would make up the carriageway structure were laid on top. This entire assembly of span structure components was then transported from De-Friz and Sedanka to the 36th pillar, where they were finally assembled and connected. During the construction project, three out of

2156-643: The word has more than one meaning, and thus "clothing", "dress", "attire" or "regalia" can be substituted without offense. Following the rise of romantic nationalism in parts of Europe , pre-industrial peasantry came to serve as models for all that appeared genuine and desirable. Garments that evoke peasant dress were made from traditional pre-industrial textiles . In areas where Western styles of dress have become typical, traditional garments are often worn during special events or celebrations, particularly those connected to cultural tradition or heritage. International events may cater to non-Western attendees with

2205-756: Was agreed to be established in 1996. In April 2001, APEC, in collaboration with five other international organisations ( Eurostat , International Energy Agency , Organización Latinoamericana de Energía (OLADE)  [ es ] , Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries and the United Nations Statistics Division ) launched the Joint Oil Data Exercise, which in 2005 became the Joint Organisations Data Initiative (JODI). The location of

2254-415: Was captured in the city of Ayutthaya , Thailand by Thai police on 11 August 2003, before he could finish planning the attack. Chile became the first South American nation to host the Leaders' Meeting in 2004. The agenda of that year was focused on terrorism and commerce, small and medium enterprise development, and contemplation of free agreements and regional trade agreements. The 2005 Leaders' Meeting

2303-649: Was established to co-ordinate the activities of the organisation. During the 1994 meeting in Bogor , Indonesia, APEC leaders adopted the Bogor Goals , which aimed for free and open trade and investment in the Asia-Pacific by 2010 for industrialised economies and by 2020 for developing economies. During the November 1995 Ministerial Meeting in Osaka, Japan, a business advisory body named the APEC Business Advisory Council (ABAC) composed of three business executives from each member-country

2352-734: Was held in Busan , South Korea. The meeting focused on the Doha round of World Trade Organization (WTO) negotiations, leading up to the WTO Ministerial Conference of 2005 held in Hong Kong in December. Weeks earlier, trade negotiations in Paris were held between several WTO members, including the United States and the European Union , centred on reducing agricultural trade barriers . APEC leaders at

2401-521: Was notable for a lack of consensuses of group members on their stance over the Russia–Ukraine and Israel–Hamas conflicts as well as consensus for WTO reforms. The meeting between Biden and Xi was also seen as significant in terms of reducing tensions between the US and China. At the end of the APEC Economic Leaders' Meeting, the leaders gather for the official APEC Leaders' Family Photo. A tradition has

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