APEC chair China calls for upholding free trade at online ministerial meet

SHENZHEN – China, chair of the 2026 Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) forum meetings, called for upholding free trade and building an open regional economy during an online ministerial gathering held on the night of Nov 3, the Chinese government said.In the session, which was held in a rare virtual format ahead of a leaders’ summit later in November in the southern Chinese city of Shenzhen, China’s top diplomat Wang Yi stressed the need to maintain a multilateral trading system centered on the World Trade Organisation.Commerce Minister Wang Wentao said the international situation is “fraught with changes and turmoil” and that “risks of fragmentation in industrial and supply chains are mounting”, while urging all APEC economies to promote innovation-driven development and foster vibrant engines for growth.Wang Wentao also called for building a “fair and equitable international economic and trade order”. His remarks came amid the rise of unilateralism under US President Donald Trump’s protectionist “America First” agenda that led to the imposition of global tariffs.The United States and other Western countries have been critical of what they view as China’s unfair trade practices, including its export controls on critical minerals such as rare earths vital for manufacturing semiconductors and other high-tech products.Earlier in 2026, the Group of Seven advanced economies said they stand ready to resist “economic coercion”, seen as a reference to Beijing’s trade curbs that could disrupt supply chains.The Chinese commerce minister also sought advanced discussions and policy coordination on digital and intelligent economic and trade rules, adding that China encourages the open-source development and cooperation of new technologies such as artificial intelligence.The 21 APEC member economies include the United States, China, Japan, South Korea, Russia as well as South-east Asian and Latin American nations. APEC ministerial sessions have rarely been held online except during the Covid-19 pandemic.From Japan, Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi and Economy, Trade and Industry Minister Ryosei Akazawa attended the session, according to the Japanese Foreign Ministry.Motegi said Japan supports free and fair regional economic integration and stressed the need to ensure supply chains are not negatively affected, according to the Japanese ministry.Chinese President Xi Jinping, Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin are among leaders expected to attend the APEC summit scheduled for Nov 18 and 19. KYODO NEWS