Subject: Ugh: With Trump absent, China and Russia to take center stage at Asia-Pacific summits Mon Nov 12, 2018 8:34 pm
SINGAPORE — When world leaders gather in this city-state and Papua New Guinea for regional summits this week, there will be a conspicuous absence: President Trump. It is summit season in Asia, with Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) meetings due to start Tuesday in Singapore. The 10-member bloc hosts world leaders at the yearly East Asia Summit, a chance for regional leaders to strengthen ties with global powers. Most will then travel to Papua New Guinea for Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) meetings, hosted this year by the poorest member of a 21-country bloc of Pacific economies.