An acrimonious meeting of world leaders in Papua New Guinea failed to agree Sunday on a final communique, highlighting widening divisions between global powers China and the U.S.
The 21 nations at the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit in Port Moresby struggled to bridge differences on the role of the World Trade Organization, which governs international trade, officials said. A statement was to be issued instead by the meeting's chair, Papua New Guinea Prime Minister Peter O'Neill.
“The entire world is worried” about tensions between China and the U.S., O'Neill told a mob of reporters that surrounded him after he confirmed there was no communique from leaders.
It was the first time leaders had failed to agree on a declaration in 29 years of the Pacific Rim summits that involve countries representing 60 percent of the world economy.
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said there were differences between several nations, including China and the U.S. Draft versions of the communique seen by The Associated Press showed the U.S wanted strong language against unfair trade practices that it accuses of China. China, meanwhile, wanted a reaffirmation of opposition to protectionism and unilateralism it says the U.S. is engaging in.
The two-day summit was punctuated by acrimony and underlined a rising rivalry between China and the West for influence in the usually neglected South Pacific. China is a relative newcomer to providing aid, and its loan-heavy, no-strings attached approach has unsettled Western nations that have been the mainstay donors to developing nations and often use aid to nudge nations toward reforms.
U.S. Vice President Mike Pence and Chinese President Xi Jinping traded barbs in speeches Saturday. Pence professed respect for Xi and China but also harshly criticized the world's No. 2 economy for intellectual property theft, forced technology transfers and unfair trading practices.
The U.S. has this year imposed additional tariffs on $250 billion of Chinese goods, and Beijing has retaliated with its own tariffs on U.S. products.
The world, according to Xi's speech, is facing a choice between cooperation and confrontation as protectionism and unilateralism grows. He said the rules of global institutions set up after World War II such as the World Trade Organization should not be bent for selfish agendas.
Pence told reporters that during the weekend he had two “candid” conversations with Xi, who is expected to meet President Donald Trump at a Group of 20 summit at the end of this month in Buenos Aires.
The U.S. is interested in a better relationship “but there has to be change” from China's side, Pence said he told Xi, who responded that dialogue is important.
China's foreign ministry rejected the U.S. criticism that it was leading other developing nations into debt bondage.
“No country either in this region or in other regions has fallen into a so called debt trap because of its cooperation with China. Give me one example,” Wang Xiaolong, a foreign ministry official, told a news conference.
In Port Moresby, the impact of China's aid and loans is highly visible. But the U.S. and allies are countering with efforts to finance infrastructure in Papua New Guinea and other island states. The U.S. has also said it will be involved in ally Australia's plan to develop a naval base with Papua New Guinea.
On Sunday, the U.S., New Zealand, Japan and Australia said they'd work with Papua New Guinea's government to bring electricity to 70 percent of its people by 2030. Less than 20 percent have a reliable electricity supply.
China, meanwhile, has promised $4 billion of finance to build the first national road network in Papua New Guinea, among the least urbanized countries in the world.
世界各国领导人在巴布亚新几内亚的会晤言辞激烈，未能在周日就最终公报达成一致，突显了中美两个大国之间日益扩大的分歧。
官员们表示，参加在莫尔兹比港举行的亚太经合组织峰会的21个国家，无法就各方对管理国际贸易的世贸组织所起的作用统一意见，结果变为主持会议的巴布亚新几内亚总理奥尼尔发表声明。
奥尼尔确认将不会发表领导人公报后对周围的记者表示，“整个世界都担心中美之间的紧张关系”。
这是亚太经合组织这个环太平洋地区峰会29年来，领导人首次未能达成一致声明。参加这一峰会的国家占全球经济的60％。
加拿大总理特鲁多说，包括中国和美国在内的几个国家之间存在分歧。美联社所获的公报草案显示，美国希望严辞指责它所说的中国不公平贸易行为，而中国希望重申反对美国正在参与的保护主义和单边主义。
这场为期两天的峰会时时出现尖锐的言论，凸显出中国与西方之间争夺在通常被忽视的南太平洋地区的影响力而展开的竞争。中国是一个相对较新的援助国，它提供的巨额贷款和无附加条件的做法使西方国家感到不安。西方一直是发展中国家的主要捐助者，并经常利用援助推动各国改革。
美国副总统彭斯和中国国家主席习近平周六在演讲中针锋相对。彭斯在表达对习近平和中国的尊重同时，严厉批评了这个世界第二大经济体盗窃知识产权，强制技术转让和不公平贸易行为。
美国今年对2500亿美元的中国商品加征关税，北京则以对美国产品征税作为报复。
习近平则在讲话中说，随着保护主义和单边主义抬头，世界面临着合作还是对抗的选择。他说，第二次世界大战后建立的全球性机构的规则，例如世界贸易组织，不应于为自私的议程服务。
彭斯告诉记者，他在周末与习近平进行了两次“坦诚”的对话。预计习近平将于本月底在布宜诺斯艾利斯举行的20国集团峰会上与美国总统特朗普会面。
彭斯说，他对习近平表示，美国有意建立更好的美中关系，但中方“必须作出改变”。习近平则回应说，对话很重要。
中国外交部反驳了美国称其正在引领其他发展中国家陷入债务的批评。
一名外交部官员在资讯发布会上说，。在这一地区或其他任何地区，没有一个国家由于与中国的合作而陷入所谓的债务陷阱。“
在莫尔兹比港，中国的援助和贷款的影响非常明显。但美国和盟国正在努力制衡，为巴布亚新几内亚和其他岛国的基础设施提供融资。美国还表示将参与盟友澳大利亚与巴布亚新几内亚发展海军基地的计划。
周日，美国、新西兰、日本和澳大利亚表示，他们将与巴布亚新几内亚政府合作，在2030年前为该国70％的人口提供电力。目前那里有不到20％的人有可靠的电力供应。
与此同时，中国承诺提供40亿美元的资金，用于建设巴布亚新几内亚的第一个国家公路网。这个国家是世界上城市化程度最低的国家之一。