APEC events begin with two-day Senior Officials Meeting on Wednesday in Beijing

Leaders and top officials from 21 Asia-Pacific countries kicked off the week-long annual APEC event in Beijing on Wednesday. It opened with the Senior Officials Meeting. The gathering includes diverse forums and sideline talks. But the highlight will be the official summit. Korean President Park Geun-hye, U.S. President Barack Obama, Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe... and Russian President Vladimir Putin,... will discuss ways to enhance economic growth in the region. One of the top agenda items in this year′s summit,... is the creation of a free-trade zone, known as the Free Trade Area of the Asia Pacific,... which will be led by China. This is seen by many experts... as a move by Beijing to lead the trade order in the region,... by setting up a trade deal that can counter the U.S. led-Trans Pacific Partnership.