Xi Jinping defends free trade at APEC summit in Trump's absence

Chinese President Xi Jinping championed free trade and inclusive globalization at the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit in South Korea. The summit brings together 21 Asia-Pacific economies that contribute 50% of global GDP and account for more than half of global trade. During the meeting, participants agreed on the need to improve and strengthen the functioning of the World Trade Organization (WTO). Voices such as that of the Canadian Prime Minister, who warned that the era of rules-based free trade is fading, were also heard. In his address to the forum, President Xi called on APEC countries to protect global supply chains and the interests of developing economies. He stressed the need to "join forces" at a time of uncertainty in the Asia-Pacific region. The absence of Donald Trump, who left South Korea on Thursday after meeting with Xi Jinping, where they agreed to de-escalate the trade war, has allowed the Chinese president to lead the summit. The president has presented himself as a staunch defender of multilateralism and a leader in the Asia-Pacific region, home to the world's fastest-growing economies and also the one most affected by the US president's tariff hikes. Xi Jinping's message of strong support for free trade has resonated as an amendment to Donald Trump's tariff policy and his "America First" message. Trump's decision to skip the APEC summit reflects how the United States' international and trade relations are transforming. Washington had always been an influential player in this organization, which it helped create in 1989. US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, who participated in the meeting, defended his country's "trade readjustment." Mistrust

Despite Xi Jinping's diplomatic efforts, his defense of global trade is generating distrust in other Asian countries, which are suffering from China's manufacturing overcapacity and have also been affected by controls on rare earth exports. The Chinese leader took advantage of the meeting to hold talks, on the sidelines of APEC, with the prime ministers of Canada and Japan. These are countries with which China does not have good relations and with which it has tried to ease tensions. With Japan, it has disputes over territories in the East China Sea, and Tokyo is wary of the Chinese military's rearmament and its alliance with Russia and North Korea. Relations with Canada became strained in 2018 with the arrest of the Huawei heiress, a decision that prompted the detention of two Canadians in China. Both countries have imposed several tariff increases on each other. Now, Canada, pressured by Trump, is seeking other markets for its exports.

Chilean President Boric, the only Latin American president to participate in the meeting, also made a clear case for multilateralism and the fight against the climate crisis. Chile announced talks with Singapore and New Zealand to promote a partnership agreement for the green economy.

The annual APEC summit, which ends on Saturday, is being held in the South Korean city of Gyeongju. The goal has been to boost regional cooperation at a time of trade and geopolitical tensions. The theme of this edition has been: "Building a Sustainable Tomorrow: Connect, Innovate, Prosper." China will host the 2026 meeting.