Promoting Economic Cooperation at APEC Against the Backdrop of Geopolitical Uncertainty

Join the Korea Economic Institute of America for a special event on August 27, 2025 previewing the upcoming APEC Summit in South Korea

The Donald Trump administration’s imposition of tariffs has shaken the global trading order. At the same time, geopolitical rivalries among major powers are intensifying as Trump attempts to end the military conflicts in Ukraine and Gaza, and the U.S.-China geoeconomic competition appears to be deepening as both sides test their respective economic leverage on each other while enhancing their respective supply chain resiliency.

Thus, South Korea assumes responsibility for hosting the APEC business and leaders’ meetings at a complex moment. The role of multilateral institutions in promoting international trade is under assault from rising tariffs, making the task of easing barriers to economic cooperation more difficult. The APEC summit in South Korea will be the first major multilateral economic meeting to occur following the Trump administration’s imposition of universal tariffs. Furthermore, the APEC summit is a potential venue for the first meeting between Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping at a moment when a stable framework for managing U.S.-China economic relations has not yet been established.

Following the conclusion of the first summit between Trump and South Korean President Lee Jae Myung, KEI will host a distinguished panel of Korean speakers, who will share their perspectives on the geoeconomic and geopolitical forces shaping South Korea’s approach to hosting the APEC leaders’ summit.

Panel

KEI President & CEO Scott Snyder will moderate this hybrid event between 9:00 a.m. and 10:30 a.m. ET at KEI’s event space. Livestream available on KEI’s YouTube channel.