Xi gains spotlight as Apec falters

Donald Trump’s early departure from the Apec summit in Gyeongju left space for Xi Jinping to cast himself as a champion of open trade, as leaders wrestled with a fractured forum that produced only a vague declaration without mentioning the WTO. Canada’s Mark Carney and Xi signaled a thaw, with an invitation to visit China and talk of a turning point, days after the White House cancelled trade negotiations and raised tariffs on Canada. Japan’s new prime minister, Sanae Takaichi, made a low-key but steady debut, balancing careful ties with Seoul and guarded engagement with Beijing.

Reviewed by JQJO team

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