APEC ends in flurry of announcements

The Asia-Pacific leaders summit has ended in Papua New Guinea with a flurry of aid and development announcements. New Zealand has joined Australia, the United States, Japan, and PNG in a $1.7 billion project to bring electricity to nearly three quarters of the country. New Zealand is contributing about $20 million, much of which will be in expertise. Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern also announced another $10 million grant for immunisation campaigns in PNG, where polio has re-emerged. She had cut the ribbon to open a fresh produce market in Port Morseby which was rebuilt with $7 million of New Zealand aid. PNG's foreign minister Rimbink Pato told our business editor Gyles Beckford at the opening of the market that the increased interest of Western nations in the region was welcome. But he doesn't want to suggest there's a bidding war under way to counter Chinese activity in the region.