China-US divisions mar Pacific summit

NO FINAL COMMUNIQUE ISSUED

A MEETING of world leaders in Papua New Guinea has failed to agree on a final communique, highlighting widening divisions between the US and China.

The 21 nations at the AsiaPacific Economic Co-operation summit in Port Moresby struggled to bridge differences on the role of the World Trade Organisation.

“The entire world is worried” about tensions between China and the US, Papua New Guinea’s prime minister Peter O’Neill said.

Canada’s PM Justin Trudeau said there were differences between several nations.

Draft versions of the communique showed the US wanted strong language against unfair trade practices it accuses China of.

The summit was punctuated by acrimony and underlined a rising rivalry between China and the West. US vice president Mike Pence and China’s president Xi Jinping traded blows in speeches.

Mr Pence professed respect for Mr Xi and China but also harshly criticised the world’s second largest economy for intellectual property theft, forced technology transfers and unfair trading practices.

The world, according to Mr Xi, is facing a choice between co-operation and confrontation as protectionism and unilateralism grows. He said the rules of global institutions set up after the Second World War, such as the World Trade Organisation, should not be bent for selfish agendas.