Asia-Pacific leaders yesterday failed to bridge gaping divisions over trade at a summit dominated by a war of words between the US and China as they vie for regional influence.
For the first time in the group’s history, APEC leaders were unable to agree on a formal written declaration amid sharp differences between the world’s top two economies over the rules of global trade.
“You know the two big giants in the room. What can I say?” host and Papua New Guinean Prime Minister Peter O’Neill said, conceding defeat.
Photo: AFP
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said the failure came down to “different visions on particular elements with regard to trade that prevented full consensus.”
A US official familiar with the talks said China balked at some language related to trade. At issue was a pledge by the governments to fight “all” unfair practices, which China objected to including in the statement, said the official, who asked not to be identified as the discussions were private.
The 20 other nations endorsed the language, the official said.
O’Neill indicated that the WTO had been a sticking point in agreeing on a joint communique.
“APEC has got no charter over the World Trade Organization. That is a fact,” he said. “Those matters can be raised at the World Trade Organization.”
O’Neill denied it was a humiliation for his country, which was hosting the annual gathering of the 21 nations for the first time. He said a formal APEC statement would be released at a later date.
As tensions boiled over, police were called when Chinese officials attempted to “barge” into the Papua New Guinean foreign minister’s office on Saturday in an 11th-hour bid to influence the summit’s communique, three sources with knowledge of the situation said.
“Police were posted outside the minister’s office after they tried to barge in,” one source said on condition of anonymity.
The minister had refused to meet with the delegates, another source said, adding: “It’s not appropriate for the minister to negotiate solo with the Chinese. The Chinese negotiating officials know this.”
The minister yesterday tried to downplay the incident, telling reporters “there wasn’t an issue.”
However, Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs official Wang Xiaolong (王小龍) denied the incident occured, telling reporters: “It’s not true. It’s simply not true.”
Even before the summit started, tensions between the two big hitters came to the fore with US Vice President Mike Pence and Chinese President Xi Jinping (習近平) crossing swords in competing speeches.
“I spoke to President Xi twice during the course of this conference. We had a candid conversation,” Pence told reporters yesterday.
He told him the US is interested in a better relationship with China, “but there has to be change” in Beijing’s trade policies.
With fears that a trade war between the two rivals could cripple the Pacific Rim economy, some attendees voiced concern about the growing rivalry for influence.
“Business leaders do not want to speak out, but behind the scenes here, they are talking over dinner saying: ‘How has this happened?’” Digicel chairman Denis O’Brien said. “It’s a very forced situation, one country is trying to force all the other countries to change tariffs agreed over years.”
Additional reporting by Bloomberg
DEFENDING DEMOCRACY: Taiwan shares the same values as those that fought in WWII, and nations must unite to halt the expansion of a new authoritarian bloc, Lai said The government yesterday held a commemoration ceremony for Victory in Europe (V-E) Day, joining the rest of the world for the first time to mark the anniversary of the end of World War II in Europe. Taiwan honoring V-E Day signifies “our growing connections with the international community,” President William Lai (賴清德) said at a reception in Taipei on the 80th anniversary of V-E Day. One of the major lessons of World War II is that “authoritarianism and aggression lead only to slaughter, tragedy and greater inequality,” Lai said. Even more importantly, the war also taught people that “those who cherish peace cannot
STEADFAST FRIEND: The bills encourage increased Taiwan-US engagement and address China’s distortion of UN Resolution 2758 to isolate Taiwan internationally The Presidential Office yesterday thanked the US House of Representatives for unanimously passing two Taiwan-related bills highlighting its solid support for Taiwan’s democracy and global participation, and for deepening bilateral relations. One of the bills, the Taiwan Assurance Implementation Act, requires the US Department of State to periodically review its guidelines for engagement with Taiwan, and report to the US Congress on the guidelines and plans to lift self-imposed limitations on US-Taiwan engagement. The other bill is the Taiwan International Solidarity Act, which clarifies that UN Resolution 2758 does not address the issue of the representation of Taiwan or its people in
Taiwanese Olympic badminton men’s doubles gold medalist Wang Chi-lin (王齊麟) and his new partner, Chiu Hsiang-chieh (邱相榤), clinched the men’s doubles title at the Yonex Taipei Open yesterday, becoming the second Taiwanese team to win a title in the tournament. Ranked 19th in the world, the Taiwanese duo defeated Kang Min-hyuk and Ki Dong-ju of South Korea 21-18, 21-15 in a pulsating 43-minute final to clinch their first doubles title after teaming up last year. Wang, the men’s doubles gold medalist at the 2020 and 2024 Olympics, partnered with Chiu in August last year after the retirement of his teammate Lee Yang
The Philippines yesterday criticized a “high-risk” maneuver by a Chinese vessel near the disputed Scarborough Shoal (Huangyan Island, 黃岩島) in a rare incident involving warships from the two navies. The Scarborough Shoal — a triangular chain of reefs and rocks in the contested South China Sea — has been a flash point between the countries since China seized it from the Philippines in 2012. Taiwan also claims the shoal. Monday’s encounter took place approximately 11.8 nautical miles (22km) southeast” of the Scarborough Shoal, the Philippine military said, during ongoing US-Philippine military exercises that Beijing has criticized as destabilizing. “The Chinese frigate BN 554 was
RSS