Xi vows free trade at APEC summit | JQJO

At the APEC summit in Gyeongju, Chinese leader Xi Jinping pledged to defend global free trade and multilateral cooperation, urging stability in supply chains and collaboration on green industries. The two-day gathering was overshadowed by Xi’s earlier meeting with U.S. President Donald Trump, who left South Korea after announcing tariff cuts on China and Chinese moves to export rare earths and buy U.S. soybeans. With the United States represented by Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, hosts pushed for consensus amid tensions, as Xi met regional leaders and South Korea emphasized AI and demographic challenges.