China’s leader Xi Jinping, the de facto geopolitical heavyweight at an Asia-Pacific economic summit, on Friday courted countries for trade and investment, but also implicitly warned them not to join the United States in reducing the world’s reliance on Chinese supply chains.
President Trump’s departure from South Korea a day earlier meant that Mr. Xi was the sole superpower leader at the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit in the city of Gyeongju. At the opening of the meeting, Mr. Xi could be seen smiling and shaking hands with world leaders and economic and finance ministers who came up to greet him.
He seized his time in the spotlight to pitch China, the world’s second-largest economy and a manufacturing powerhouse, to a room that included the leaders of Japan, Canada, Australia and the host, South Korea. He invited Prime Minister Mark Carney, recently spurned by President Trump, to visit China and even met with Japan’s new leader, Sanae Takaichi, who had been a prominent critic of Beijing’s efforts to expand its influence in the region.
It worked! Carney goes full Xi Fanboy!
Carney: Canada’s relationship with China at a ‘turning point’
Prime Minister Mark Carney said Canada’s relationship with China is at a “turning point” following his meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping.
The meeting was hosted by China and lasted just 39 minutes.
The two leaders met on the sidelines of the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation Summit (APEC) in Gyeongju, South Korea.
Speaking to reporters briefly after their meeting, Carney said his meeting with Xi was “long overdue.”
Results: Trump says US, Canada will not restart trade talks
