MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Expectations Buenos Aires G 20 leaders' summit could soften US/China trade war, after APEC's failure

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% of the world economy

An acrimonious meeting of world leaders in Papua New Guinea failed to agree Sunday on a final communiqué, highlighting widening divisions between global powers China and the U.S. It now seems that the next occasion will be in Buenos Aires in the framework of the G20 leaders summit when presidents Trump and Xi are expected to hold a bilateral meeting.

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. A statement was to be issued instead by the meeting's chair, Papua New Guinea Prime Minister Peter O’Neill.

“The entire world is worried” about tensions between China and the U.S., O’Neill told a mob of reporters that surrounded him after he confirmed there was no communiqué 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.

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said there were differences between several nations, including China and the U.S. Draft versions of the communiqué showed the U.S wanted strong language against unfair trade practices that it accuses of China. China, meanwhile, wanted a reaffirmation of opposition to protectionism and unilateralism it says the U.S. is engaging in.

“I don’t think it will come as a huge surprise that there are differing visions on particular elements in regard to trade and those prevented there from being a full consensus on the communiqué,” Trudeau said.

The two-day summit was punctuated by acrimony and underlined a rising rivalry between China and the West for influence in the usually neglected South Pacific. China is a relative newcomer to providing aid, and its loan-heavy, no-strings attached approach has unsettled Western nations that have been the mainstay donors to developing nations and often use aid to nudge nations toward reforms.

U.S. Vice President Mike Pence and Chinese President Xi Jinping traded barbs in speeches on Saturday. Pence professed respect for Xi and China but also harshly criticized the world’s No. 2 economy for intellectual property theft, forced technology transfers and unfair trading practices.

The U.S. has this year imposed additional tariffs on US$ 250 billion of Chinese goods, and Beijing has retaliated with its own tariffs on U.S. products.

The world, according to Xi’s speech, is facing a choice between cooperation and confrontation as protectionism and unilateralism grows. He said the rules of global institutions set up after World War II such as the World Trade Organization should not be bent for selfish agendas.

Pence told reporters that during the weekend he had two “candid” conversations with Xi, who is expected to meet President Donald Trump at a Group of 20 summit at the end of this month in Buenos Aires.

“There are differences today. They begin with trade practices, with tariffs and quotas, forced technology transfers, the theft of intellectual property. It goes beyond that to freedom of navigation in the seas, concerns about human rights,” Pence said.