APEC trade, foreign ministers resume talks after US protest

Da Nang (Vietnam): Trade and foreign ministers of the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Forum resumed their meet here on Thursday following opposition by the US over the text of the final joint statement a day earlier.

On Wednesday, the American delegation had protested the language of the joint statement addressing issues such as free trade and protectionism.

“It is 20 to 1… APEC is a consensus organisation. If there’s no consensus there can’t be a statement,” an informed source told Efe news.

“They are talking, they are working on it. The meeting hasn’t been closed.”

APEC’s 2016 edition had concluded calling for attention on the risk of falling into trade protectionism and a defence of economic integration.

Meanwhile, the heads of state and government of the 21 APEC economies, including US President Donald Trump, Chinese President Xi Jinping, Russian President Vladimir Putin and Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe are scheduled to arrive in Da Nang on Thursday for the APEC political and economic leaders’ meet that will end on Friday.

The summit is set to conclude on Saturday with a meeting of economic leaders.

APEC comprises Australia, Brunei, Canada, Chile, China, South Korea, the US, the Philippines, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, Mexico, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, Peru, Russia, Singapore, Taipei, Thailand and Vietnam. (IANS)