Blue Skies in Beijing? Must be Apec in town.

Blue Skies in Beijing again and guaranteed to stay so until the Apec Leaders Jamboree rolls through China’s Capital City.

We’re here once again to talk trade; make new business relationships; soak up the trends; gain insights into the progress on TPP and FTAAP; gauge how China is handling the competing trade agendas and see at least 10 Asia Pacific Leaders – including Xi Jinping; Vladimir Putin and Barack Obama – stake out their leadership claims to the region.

Apart from being mistaken for  “Ludmilla” from Russia when out at the Apec Business Summit registration desk, it has been plain sailing.

The Chinese are keen to put their collective best foot forward to host the many visitors in town for the APEC Leaders Meeting.

Yesterday, I shared a whole bus to myself with just one young minder coming in from Beijing Capital Airport; an experience repeated by several other members of the NZ delegation here for the Business Summit and the Apec Business Advisory Council meetings. It was the same again coming back from the International Convention Centre to my hotel this afternoon following on from the amusing registration experience.

But the buses will be full tomorrow morning when we leave at 6am to get good seats for President Xi Jinping’s address.

It’s all very similar to the first Apec that China hosted in Shanghai in 2001.

Then – like now – surrounding heavy industry has been shut down to prevent belching chimneys throwing a smoggy cloud over the host city.  There are a lot more cars on the road today the upshot of China’s rapidly growing wealth which has resulted in a new middle-class that wants the same toys as the rest of us.

That said I am unlikely to go on a high speed roar around town in a delegate’s limo  (like we did in Shanghai when the streets were pretty empty).

Security is tight. But after the welcoming ceremony at the China World Hotel early this evening we are off to a bar called “Tim’s” to join other Kiwis watching the rugby.

For dedicated trade junkies it doesn’t get much better.