Apec gears up for talks to build closer regional economic ties

Danang, Vietnam

PRIME Minister Lee Hsien Loong arrives in Danang on Friday for a meeting of leaders of 21 Pacific-Rim economies, with trade, political and security issues on the agenda.

This year's Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (Apec) leaders' meeting takes place amid uncertainty in trade policy and political tension in many economies; trade and foreign ministers, meeting ahead of the leaders' summit, had struggled to agree on a joint statement on free trade.