Bishop, Robb at APEC as security hiked

The foreign and trade ministers are heading to Manila as local police step up security efforts for the Asia Pacific Economic Co-operation summit.

Security outside the international media centre for APEC

Security is being beefed up ahead of the APEC summit after the deadly Paris attacks. (AAP)

Security is being beefed up in the Philippines capital ahead of a meeting of world leaders after the deadly Paris attacks.

Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull, US President Barack Obama and Chinese President Xi Jinping are among a raft of top-level leaders heading to Manila on Tuesday for the Asia-Pacific Economic Co-operation (APEC) summit.

Police across the Philippines have been placed on high alert and hotels are taking further precautions, while extra security personnel are being stationed around airports, seaports and rail lines.

The host country's president Benigno Aquino said no credible threat had been picked up but cautioned against complacency.

Foreign Minister Julie Bishop and Trade Minister Andrew Robb are due to arrive on Sunday for meetings with their Pacific counterparts to talk trade and investment.

Ms Bishop will use the APEC ministerial meeting on Monday to discuss regional and international matters.

She will meet newly appointed Canadian Foreign Minister Stephane Dion and is likely to see Indonesian counterpart Retno Marsudi.

At the summit proper, Ms Bishop will deliver a speech on the importance of investing in education and the impact of natural disasters.

Women's empowerment will also be a major topic of the minister's visit as she hosts a breakfast of prominent Philippine women to talk economic barriers; and also launch a program to protect kids against online sexual abuse and exploitation.

The trade minister meanwhile will focus on how the Trans-Pacific Partnership can spur an even bigger trade pact encompassing all 21 APEC member economies.

Mr Robb will also discuss progressing a 2012 APEC pledge to cut tariffs on dozens of renewable energy products by the end of the year.

While Indonesian President Joko Widodo and Russian President Vladimir Putin have pulled out of the meeting of world leaders, their decisions were made before the attacks in Paris.


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Source: AAP


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