Jauhn Etienne Villaruel

Article (news)

Katrina Domingo

ABS-CBN News

<div><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:960px"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1761880635928cropped-574562552_1245441444275246_5315048563185640365_n.jpg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib"/><span class="fr-inner" style="text-align:left">President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. arrives at the #APEC2025 Leaders’ Summit in Gyeongju, South Korea. South Korean President Lee Jae Myung formally welcomes APEC Leaders before they begin their first session this morning. PCO/Facebook</span></span></span></div><p>GYEONGJU, South Korea — President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and Chinese President Xi Jinping on Friday joined other world leaders in the 32nd Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Leaders’ Summit, where host country South Korea called for “harmony and coexistence” despite differences in national interests.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/10/30/marcos-jr-arrives-in-south-korea-to-pitch-ai-powered-ph-in-apec-2025-1615">Marcos Jr. arrives in South Korea to pitch ‘AI-powered’ PH in APEC 2025</a></div><p>South Korean President Lee Jae Myung in his opening remarks urged APEC members to “become connected and be more open” to one another so that the region — which registered 48 percent of global trade — “can go down the path of prosperity.”</p><p>“Our reality does not leave much room for rosy forecasts. We are all at an infliction point of rapid changes in international order,” said Lee, whose country is hosting the annual regional meeting this year.</p><p>“Free trade is facing wild changes. Uncertainties are growing for the global economy and trade and investment is losing its vitality,” he said during the APEC Economic Leaders’ Meeting Informal Dialogue with Guests.</p><p>“Cooperation and solidarity is the only answer that will lead all of us to a better tomorrow. We cannot always be on the same page as each member economy may have their own interests, yet we cannot always unite with the ultimate goal of gathering strength for co-prosperity.”</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/business/2025/10/30/no-scheduled-talks-with-us-on-tariffs-during-apec-ph-economic-czar-1758">No scheduled talks with US on tariffs during APEC – PH economic czar</a></div><p>Lee’s opening statement comes as Manila and Beijing’s relations continue to be marred by China’s incursions in the Philippines’ exclusive economic zone despite a 2016 arbitral ruling that invalidated its sweeping 9-dash line claim in the South China Sea.</p><div><br/></div><div><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1761880674288Screen Shot 2025-10-31 at 11.14.03 AM.png" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib"/></div><div><br/></div><p>This year’s APEC also marks the first time that Marcos Jr. and Xi would meet in person since January 2023, when the Filipino leader traveled to Beijing for a state visit in an attempt to amicably settle disputes in the strategic waterway where trillions-worth of goods pass through annually.</p><p>The Summit is being held in Gyeongju — South Korea’s ancient capital — where consensus building has been honored for centuries, Lee said.</p><p>“Our reality does not leave much room for rosy forecasts. We are all at an infliction point of rapid changes in international order,” Lee said, noting that “free trade is facing wild changes” while “uncertainties are growing for the global economy, and trade and investment is losing its vitality.”</p><p>“[But] The Hwabaek spirit does not enforce any single idea but rather strive to achieve a harmony of different voices, exploring the path for harmony and coexistence,” he said.</p><p>“The more we become connected and the more open we become to one another, the further we can go down the path of prosperity.”</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/entertainment/showbiz/celebrities/2025/10/27/rm-of-bts-set-to-become-first-k-pop-artist-to-be-a-speaker-at-an-apec-summit-1940">RM of BTS set to become first K-Pop artist to be a speaker at an APEC Summit</a></div><p>The Department of Foreign Affairs earlier said that Marcos Jr. is not expected to have a bilateral meeting with Xi on the sidelines of the APEC 2025, saying that this forum traditionally focuses on economic and trade issues, instead of security and defense.</p><p>On October 30, Marcos Jr. told Filipinos here that he would focus on wooing investors from APEC economies to help boost the Philippines’ tech industry as the world further shifts to digitalization and artificial intelligence.</p><p>Marcos Jr. has described the APEC as a “very important” meeting, underscoring that the regional bloc represents over 80 percent of the Philippines’ trade.</p><div><br/></div><div><strong>RELATED VIDEOS</strong></div><div><br/></div><div><span class="fr-video fr-deletable fr-fvc fr-dvb fr-draggable" contenteditable="false" draggable="true"><iframe width="640" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/_1qqr4oUNs8?&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe></span><span class="fr-video fr-deletable fr-fvc fr-dvb fr-draggable" contenteditable="false" draggable="true"><iframe width="640" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/fkww1vyMT-A?&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe></span><br/></div>

<p>South Korean President Lee Jae Myung in his opening remarks urged APEC members to “become connected and be more open” to one another so that the region “can go down the path of prosperity.”</p>

South Korean President Lee Jae Myung in his opening remarks urged APEC members to “become connected and be more open” to one another so that the region “can go down the path of prosperity.”

Marcos, Xi attend APEC 2025 as South Korea calls for 'harmony, coexistence'

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Marcos, Xi attend APEC 2025 as South Korea calls for 'harmony, coexistence'

Katrina Domingo,

ABS-CBN News

Published October 31, 2025 11:19 AM PHT

|

Updated October 31, 2025 12:38 PM PHT

Read More:

APEC 2025

Ferdinand Marcos Jr.

South Korea

Lee Jae Myung

politics

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