Future of WTO splits summit
PORT MORESBY, Papua New Guinea — Disagreement over the body that resolves global trade disputes split Asia-Pacific countries at an international economic summit, leaving the annual gathering the victim of a trade war between the world’s two biggest economies.
The Liberals have been championing changes to the World Trade Organization, which has drawn the ire of U.S. President Donald Trump, organizing a meeting last month in Ottawa to start crafting a road map for reforms.
The U.S. has openly blocked the appointments of new judges to the WTO’s dispute settlement mechanism, known as the appellate body — a tactic that threatens to paralyze the organization and prevent it from making decisions.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau brought the issue up during a meeting with Chinese Premier Li Keqiang Wednesday in Singapore. Trudeau’s office said at the time the two sides agreed to deepen their co-operation through organizations like the WTO.
But Sunday, it appeared that both China and the United States were part of the reason the Asia Pacific Economic Co-operation summit in Papua New Guinea ended deadlocked on a path forward for the WTO and trade around the region.
“There was broad agreement on how we need to support our citizens and work forward towards better co-operation,” Trudeau said at his closing press conference. “But I don’t think it will come as a huge surprise that there are differing visions on particular elements in regards to trade and those prevented there from being full consensus on the communique document.”