APEC updates: Biden Xi meeting underway, protests in SF

SAN FRANCISCO (KRON) — As the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation meeting entered its fifth day, protests erupted across San Francisco resulting in Muni being rerouted. To the south, there are also protests near the planned location for Wednesday’s meeting between President Joe Biden and Chinese Leader Xi Jinping. With widespread street closures in effect, including two lanes shut down on the Bay Bridge, San Francisco has been transformed by the conference, which is expected to draw 20,000 people and 22 world leaders to the city.

APEC street closures: How to navigate traffic, closures, and tow away zones

Follow our live blog for the latest updates on protests, road closures and more.

APEC San Francisco 2023 live updates:

Wednesday, Nov. 15

11:30 a.m. — Biden-Xi meeting underway in Woodside

President Joe Biden and China’s Xi Jinping opened their first face-to-face meeting in more than a year Wednesday with a solid handshake ahead of talks with far-reaching implications for a world grappling with economic cross currents, wars in the Middle East and Europe, tensions in Taiwan and more.

For more on the meeting, click here.

10:55 a.m. — APEC road closures remain in effect

Road closures are in effect across San Francisco Wednesday, due to APEC. For the latest on APEC closures, click here.

10:52 a.m. — Protesters gather outside Chinese Consulate in SF

A third group of protesters has assembled Wednesday, this one outside of the Chinese Consulate in San Francisco. Video from the scene showed the protesters hoisting “Free Tibet” signs and banners.

9:50 a.m. — Muni rerouted due to APEC protests

Due to protests on Market Street, Muni has announced the following reroutes and switchbacks:

• Inbound F Market switchback at Market and 6th streets

• Outbound switchback at the Ferry Building

• Inbound 5/5R switchback at McAllister and Jones

• Inbound 6 Haight/Parnassus and 7 Haight/Noriega at Market/S. Van Ness

• Inbound 9/9R switchback at Eddy/Mason

• Inbound 38/38R switchback at O’Farrell/Taylor

9:45 a.m. — Expert weighs in on US-China relations ahead of Biden-Xi meeting

KRON4’s James Fletcher and Darya Folsom spoke to Nancy Park of Cal State University East Bay.

9:15 a.m. — Protesters assemble outside location for Biden-Xi meeting

Twenty-five miles south of San Francisco, protesters have assembled two and a half miles away from the location of President Biden’s meeting with China’s Xi Jinping.

The protesters are on the side of the road in the hopes that Xi’s motorcade will pass as they want to send him a message, calling him a terrorist.

They are calling for an end to the Chinese Communist Party.

The meeting between the two presidents will be the first one in more than a year as they haven’t even talked on the phone. The relationship has been frosty.

Usually, after meetings between world leaders, they both issue joint statements, but in this case, they have already said each side will make their own statements.

8:45 a.m. — Protesters attempt to block APEC entrance

Protesters have gathered outside the San Francisco Chronicle Building at 5th and Mission streets near the main entrance to the APEC summit at the Moscone Center. As of 8:45 a.m., the protest remained peaceful as protesters linked arms, facing off with a line of police officers, some of whom are outfitted with riot helmets and batons.

Assembled protesters are carrying signs appearing to represent various causes, including demands for a cease-fire in the Middle East.

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