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SINGAPORE—Asia-Pacific leaders donned colorful designer shirts for a glittering dinner here Saturday, taking a break from annual talks to take in the Singapore waterfront and city skyline.
US President Barack Obama was still en route from Tokyo as Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong and his wife Ho Ching welcomed other leaders, most with their spouses, at the Esplanade arts centre on the shores of Marina Bay.
The dinner setting offers some of the most spectacular views in this trading port, a multicultural city-state that has grown into one of the richest nations in Asia.
Obama, whose four-nation Asian tour itinerary was compressed because of the Fort Hood killings in Texas, was expected to catch the end of the dinner for leaders of the 21-member Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) group.
In keeping with APEC summit tradition, the leaders wore custom-made tops reflecting the host country's culture, this year crafted by Singaporean designer Wykidd Song.
The 19 male leaders were given long-sleeved linen shirts with mandarin collars, a style inspired by the blend of Chinese, Malay and Indian culture found in Singapore. They chose from blue, red or green variants.
Philippine President Gloria Arroyo and Chilean President Michelle Bachelet, the two female leaders, were supplied with V-necked blouses in red silk, with elaborate embroidery and lace.
The VIPS were to be treated to a spread of Singapore cuisine -- made less spicy and pungent than usual -- as well as a 30-minute multimedia concert featuring 367 local artists, organizers said.
Singapore's high-rise banking district, a 55-storey Las Vegas-style casino complex under construction and the Singapore Flyer, said to be the world's tallest observation wheel, are visible from the dinner venue.
