APEC summit kicks off in SF with week full of lane closures, diplomatic talks
SAN FRANCISCO (KGO) -- After months of planning and anticipation, San Francisco began playing host this weekend on a global stage for the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation Summit, better known as APEC.
The weeklong event will welcome economic leaders from across the world, including President Joe Biden. Events kicked off at the Moscone Center, some streets and sidewalks are already being impacted by security measures.
One lane on Southbound Embarcadero is closed to cars between Broadway and Green Streets. The sidewalk is closed too.
The city says it's all in the name of security. World leaders will gather at the Exploratorium later this week.
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Not everybody was happy about the detour. Some pedestrians complained to traffic monitors.
The security measures are just the beginning. By Wednesday most of the waterfront will be off-limits to cars and pedestrians.
The APEC summit kicking off at the Moscone Center, kiosks and workstations are set up for more than 2,000 registered journalists.
One of the first events featured Senior U.S. official for APEC, Matt Murray, who told local high school journalists why this summit matters.
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"It's a place we can get together, as economies across the region, to share ideas with each other and best practices and really focus on the 'C' in APEC -- which is cooperation," Murray said.
Human rights was the focus of one solidarity event, attended by Chinese dissidents. Congressman Mike Gallagher, chairman of the Select committee on China, says stakes will be high when two world leaders meet this week.
"My concern is when we have high-level dialogues like the one happening this week with Xi and Biden, human rights don't get thrown into the gutter," Rep. Gallagher said.
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