APEC Gyeongju: Summit Nears Declaration Amid Trump–Xi

At the APEC leaders' summit in Gyeongju, ministers said they were close to agreeing a Gyeongju Declaration and joint statement, pressing language to uphold multilateralism and address protectionism, supply‑chain strains, AI, demographic change and digital cooperation. WTO Director‑General Ngozi Okonjo‑Iweala attended ministerial talks. The two‑day leaders' meeting was overshadowed by a high‑stakes Trump–Xi encounter and U.S. protectionist moves, even as Trump wrapped side deals with China and South Korea before departing. Beijing used the run‑up to denounce “bullying,” unilateralism and protectionism and warned against a return to the “law of the jungle.” Regional forums, including the East Asia Summit, reiterated calls for disputes to be settled peacefully under international law and reaffirmed ASEAN‑centered multilateral architecture amid South China Sea tensions.