Extra posting : What are the successes of APEC? What has APEC been criticized for? / Kiara Juliane Annisa

APEC has been successfully become a dynamic engine of economic growth and the most important regional forums in the Asia-pacific, that approximately dominated 59 percent of the world GDP and 49 percent of world trade based on the 2015 data. As the result of this, the member of the organization economics GDP has increased from USD 19 trillion in 1989 to USD 42 trillions in 2015. And the country income is also raised become 74 percent benefiting millions out of poverty. It's also makes economic trade between the group country easier and this is also helping the economics growth for the world. By the 2009 and 2015, the members economics improved the ease of doing business in the Asia-pacific by 14.8%, they also help reduce costs for import and exports in the region.

But on the other hand there are also criticized that aim towards the APEC. One the critiques said that "maybe APEC is too large, too diverse, and different from the European Community which can deepen the cooperation because the countries have a real historical identity" so this might seen as a threat to non-FTA members. And one of the Thai political scientist, Prapas Thepchatri also said that "I'm afraid APEC has no identity, no vision to move forward to become what? An Asian-Pacific community? That's maybe too abstract."