Event Recap: The APEC Golden Gate Declaration One Year Later
View recap, photos, and op-ed from a discussion between Ambassador Matt Murray and Ambassador Jeff Bleich
On November 18th, 2024, Asia Society Northern California hosted a conversation with Ambassador Matt Murray, U.S. Senior Official for APEC, following the recent APEC Summit in Peru. With Asia Society's Season of Australia, former U.S. Ambassador to Australia Jeff Bleich moderated the program. The program also featured opening remarks by Maryam Muduroglu, Chief of Protocol for the San Francisco Mayor’s Office of Protocol.
In his presentation, Murray reflected on the 2023 San Francisco APEC Summit, which saw many historic moments, including a Biden-Xi Meeting, the issuance of the Golden Gate Declaration, and the CEO Summit, which brought together leaders to enhance public-private partnerships. Murray also offered insights on how the 2024 Peru APEC Summit addressed sustainable and economic development topics discussed in last year's APEC Summit, including the just energy transition, informal economies, agricultural systems, and food loss.
During the moderated discussion with Bleich, Murray delved into topics such as the importance of revitalizing stakeholder engagement at APEC, economic inclusivity and sustainability, and the impact of climate change and AI on global economies. Murray also discussed U.S. and China bilateral engagement at APEC, noting that APEC provides opportunities for open lines of communication. During audience Q&A, Murray and Bleich answered questions regarding APEC’s position on AI, implementing a just energy transition for fossil fuel dependent nations, and how APEC can promote sustainability frameworks. Murray also spoke about exciting developments in South Korea, the host country for the 2025 APEC Summit, regarding digital technology and clean energy.