This year's host, President Barack Obama, will meet with other Asia-Pacific leaders on November 12-13.

Security is in force in Honolulu, as 10,000 people gather for the summit, including national leaders, government ministers, business executives and reporters.

This year the United States hopes to expand trade and coordinate regulations in the Pacific region and announce a framework for the so-called Trans-Pacific Partnership, a Pacific free trade zone. It would be built on an existing trade agreement involving Brunei, Chile, New Zealand and Singapore.

American negotiators are spearheading the effort to expand the partnership to include the United States, Australia, Malaysia, Peru and Vietnam.