The Ageing Politicians Expecting Cocktails, those attending the APEC talkfest in Manila, will be enjoying cocktails later today when they get together for their gala dinner.

The annual knees up has become a parade of power, The United States flexing its muscles to the growing power of China.

The 21 leaders strut the stage, posing for pictures before the international media with the leader of the host nation. They stand, formally shaking hands, exchanging small talk before making their way into a day of full, frank and mainly meaningless discussions.

They’re meaningless because they talk big but deliver little. The last time they spoke with one voice was back in Indonesia more than 20 years ago when they set themselves goals.

There was to be free trade and investment for industrialised countries like ours by 2010 and for emerging economies by 2020. It was never going to be achieved because the only leader still at the table is the Sultan of Brunei.

But it doesn’t stop them from talking, enjoying the largesse of the host country, in this case the Philippines.

As they flew into the capital over the paddy fields with the shanty shacks just over the fence from the runway, surely they were reflecting on what progress they’ve made. They would have seen the poverty as their siren wailing motorcades made their way along the empty motorways to their five star hotels.

Once they’re at the lavish conference venue it’s all about photos and fawning.

They hold court for hours mainly talking past each other, meeting on the side, for what they call pull asides, which is where Teflon John Key will get to have a chat to his old golfing buddy Barack Obama.

They’ll reflect on the horror of Paris last week and make condemnatory statements about terrorism.

The cocktails will flow as they congratulate each other about crossing the Ts and dotting the Is on the Trans Pacific Partnership Agreement. Twelve out of 21 countries that belong to the APEC club ain’t bad, even if it does fall well short of the goals their predecessors set them.

But as a big corporate boss warned them yesterday, the show ain’t over till the fat lady sings and she’ll only be able to burst into song once the deal’s ratified by their respective Parliaments.

Perhaps it was that realisation that caused Teflon John to do an Andrew Little and knock his glass of water over on the stage he shared with the bosses as he beat the free trade drum.

By week’s end they will have paraded for the cameras in their silly shirts as they ponder where to from here? The answer is impoverished Peru where they’ll all gather again next year in the capital Lima to do it all over again!