Chinese President Xi Jinping said this Friday (31) that the country will help protect global free trade, during a speech at the opening of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit in Gyeongju, South Korea.
Xi defended multilateralism and stated that “the more turbulent the times, the more we must work together”. The Chinese leader called for stability in supply chains, in response to the United States’ attempts to reduce dependence on Chinese production, and highlighted the desire to expand international cooperation in clean energy and green industries.
South Korean authorities are working to make a joint statement possible at the end of the summit, after the failure of the 2018 summit due to trade differences between Washington and Beijing. The theme of this year’s meeting is “Building a Sustainable Tomorrow: Connect, Innovate, Thrive”, with a focus on technological cooperation and inclusive growth. Source: Associated Press.
