Editorials
Thursday, November 21, 1996
APEC summit could
affect Hawaii economy
OFFICIALS from 18 countries are meeting in the Philippines this week and next in the fourth annual Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation summit conference. Their decisions could affect Hawaii by easing restrictions on trade and relaxing tensions with China.
The summit itself is scheduled for Monday at Subic Bay, the former U.S. naval base that is now being developed as an industrial center. President Clinton, President Jiang Zemin of China and Prime Minister Ryutaro Hashimoto of Japan head the list of leaders who are expected to attend.
However, the preparation for the summit is already under way with sessions involving diplomatic and trade officials. Their host, Philippine President Fidel Ramos, said his country seeks "total success" for the sessions. For Ramos, that would primarily mean success in showcasing the Philippines' suitability for investment.
Whatever success is achieved in a broader sense should be measured in concrete steps to liberalize trade. APEC has set itself a goal of free trade in the region by 2010 for developed nations and by 2020 for developing members.
An action plan for reaching those goals - embodying plans for all 18 APEC members - is being considered by the APEC ministers this week and will be presented to the heads of government for approval at the summit.
The question is whether these plans will be serious commitments or mere gestures. Free trade is a concept that attracts more lip service than action. The two economic giants of East Asia, Japan and China, are notorious for their protectionist policies. A series of American administrations has wrestled with Japan to gain entry to the Japanese market for U.S. exports. Now some of the same is going on with China.
Several of the smaller nations that have experienced strong economic growth are interested in more access to the Japanese and American markets but have little desire to open their own markets.
How all this plays out among the nations of the Pacific Rim can't help but affect Hawaii, situated as we are in the middle of it all. Hawaii has to figure out how to attract more of the Pacific Rim economic activity to the islands. We are accustomed to picturing ourselves as the hub of the Pacific, but there is a danger that we will be bypassed more and more if we fail to keep Hawaii relevant.
King’s speeches
HAVING successfully shut down the agency created to promote the federal holiday commemorating the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr., his heirs are trying to turn his memory into a commercial enterprise. The King estate claims all rights to his image and words, and is suing CBS for using parts of King's "I Have a Dream" speech in a 1995 documentary that is being sold on videotapes. This attempt to capitalize on the civil-rights leader's legacy borders on extortion.
Another CIA scandal
OH, no! Not again! The CIA, still staggering from the Aldrich Ames debacle, has been hit with another spy scandal. Another CIA officer, Harold Nicholson, has been charged with selling secrets to the Russians.
The charges can only further weaken the standing of the CIA and make it more difficult for it to ward off those who mistakenly contend that the nation no longer needs intelligence services.
Published by Liberty Newspapers Limited Partnership
Rupert E. Phillips, CEO
John M. Flanagan, Editor & Publisher
David Shapiro, Managing Editor
Diane Yukihiro Chang, Senior Editor & Editorial Page Editor
Frank Bridgewater & Michael Rovner, Assistant Managing Editors
A.A. Smyser, Contributing Editor