The Apec summit reportedly ended in an impasse as leaders failed to agree on a formal written declaration, the first in the conference’s near 30-year history,

The Apec summit reportedly ended in an impasse as leaders failed to agree on a formal written declaration, the first in the conference’s near 30-year history, due to clashes between the United States and China.

International media reported that the US demanded significant reforms to the World Trade Organisation that would likely lead to decreased preferential treatment for China.

Chinese president Xi Jinping and US vice-president Mike Pence also reportedly exchanged criticisms yesterday, with the former slamming America’s trade protectionism and the latter denouncing China’s “opaque” Belt and Road infrastructure programme that is offered to smaller countries