No communique at Pacific summit; China, U.S. differ

PORT MORESBY, Papua New Guinea — An acrimonious meeting of world leaders in Papua New Guinea failed to agree Sunday on a final communique, highlighting widening divisions between global powers China and the U.S.

The 21 nations at the Asia-pacific Economic Cooperation summit in Port Moresby struggled to bridge differences on the role of the World Trade Organization, which governs international trade, officials said.

The meeting’s chair, Papua New Guinea Prime Minister Peter O’neill, said that “the entire world is worried” about tensions between China and the United States. O’neill confirmed that there was no communique from leaders.

It was the first time leaders had failed to agree on a declaration in 29 years of the Pacific Rim summits that involve countries representing 60 percent of the world economy.

Draft versions of the communique showed the United States wanted strong language against unfair trade practices that it accuses China of. China, meanwhile, wanted a reaffirmation of opposition to protectionism and unilateralism that it alleges the United States is engaging in.

The United States has imposed additional tariffs of $250 billion on Chinese goods this year and Beijing has retaliated with its own tariffs on American exports.

“I don’t think it will come as a huge surprise that there are differing visions” on trade, said Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau. “Those prevented there from being a full consensus on the communique.”