PORT MORESBY, Papua New Guinea: Leaders of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation forum failed to reach a consensus on a post-summit declaration amid discord between the United States and China, as they wrapped up a two-day meeting, Papua New Guinea Prime Minister Peter O'Neill said on Sunday.
It is the first time since the Apec forum started in 1993 that leaders have not issued a declaration.
The meeting's chair told reporters after the summit in the Papua New Guinean capital of Port Moresby that a statement may be released later.
The prime minister said the Apec leaders were at odds over World Trade Organisation reforms due to "two giants in the room," alluding to Chinese President Xi Jinping and US Vice President Mike Pence.
"The entire world is worried'' about tensions between China and the US, O'Neill told a mob of reporters that surrounded him after he confirmed there was no communique from leaders.
Draft versions of the communique seen by The Associated Press showed the US wanted strong language against unfair trade practices that it accuses China of. China, meanwhile, wanted a reaffirmation of opposition to protectionism and unilateralism that it says the US is engaging in.
"I don't think it will come as a huge surprise that there are differing visions'' on trade, said Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau. "Those prevented there from being a full consensus on the communique.''
Washington and Beijing have engaged in tit-for-tat rounds of punitive tariffs on hundreds of billions of dollars of each other's imports.
Ahead of the opening of the two-day summit from Saturday, Pence urged Beijing to change what are seen as its unfair practices, while Xi Jinping slammed President Donald Trump's "America First" policy in a business conference.
On Sunday, Xi said in a speech that protectionism and unilateralism are resurfacing and multilateral trade is "under assault," according to China's Xinhua News Agency.
"The global economic environment is fraught with risks and uncertainties," Xi added.
After the meeting, Pence told reporters Washington and Beijing have differences ranging from trade practices to forced technology transfers.
"It goes beyond that to freedom of navigation in the seas, concerns about human rights," Pence said.
Trump has not travelled to the South Pacific island nation, sending Pence instead.
The US, Japan and other economies blame China for market-distorting practices, such as its intellectual property violations and industrial subsidies.
The participants also discussed how to develop infrastructure projects within the region.
In Thursday's meeting, Apec ministers adopted new guidelines on infrastructure development and investment, calling for openness, transparency, cost-effectiveness and the fiscal soundness of recipients as international standards for quality infrastructure.
The guidelines are viewed as a veiled counter to China, as countries such as Sri Lanka and Pakistan are now struggling to repay massive loans received as "aid" under Xi's "One Belt, One Road" infrastructure initiative aimed at connecting nations along the ancient Silk Road.
The annual meeting is being held under tight security due to Port Moresby's high crime rate stemming from high unemployment and "raskol" street gangs, with neighbouring countries such as Australia, Indonesia and New Zealand providing support.
