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Leaders from 21 countries in the Asia-Pacific region clashed on Sunday after sharp differences after an unusually lively exchange of words between the two most powerful members of the group, the United States and China.
While there were only a few hours left of the two-day summit, officials were still bent on reaching a consensus sufficient to issue a formal joint statement and privately admitted that this might not be possible given divergence of bravery in trade policy.
The annual meeting was eclipsed by speeches delivered Saturday by Chinese President Xi Jinping and US Vice President Mike Pence, which appeared to represent competing offers for regional leadership.
Mr Pence warned small countries not to be seduced by China 's extensive road and road infrastructure program, which provides that Beijing offers money to the poorest countries for energy projects. construction and development.
The "opaque" loans are subject to conditions and accumulate a "huge debt," Pence said, mocking the initiative by calling it a "restriction belt" and "one-way street".
He urged nations to stay with the United States, which "does not drown our partners in an ocean of debt" and "does not constrain, corrupt, or compromise your independence."
A few minutes before Pence, Xi insisted that this initiative did not constitute a "trap" and that there was no "hidden agenda" – despite criticisms that this would be equivalent to a "checkbook diplomacy" in the region.
Xi also criticized the trade protectionism "America First," saying it was a "short-sighted approach" that was "doomed to failure."
The fiery barbs on a bright white cruise ship moored in Port Moresby laid the groundwork for a potentially fiery meeting between Xi and US President Donald Trump at the G20 summit in Argentina at the end of the month.
But Xi and Pence, who both wore bright, red shirts provided by the Pacific Island have talks Saturday night at the leaders' gala dinner.
Pence said Sunday: "I spoke to President Xi twice during this conference, we had a frank conversation. ".
He told him that the US is interested in a better relationship with China "but there must be change" in Beijing's trade policies.
Fearing that a trade war between the two rivals would paralyze the economy of the Pacific region, some participants worried about the growing rivalry of influence in the region.
"Business leaders do not want to talk, but behind the scenes here they are talking about a dinner saying" how did this happen? Said Denis O. Brien, billionaire president of Digicel.
"It's a very forced situation, a country is trying to force all other countries to change the tariffs agreed upon over the years," Ore Brien told AFP.
– Diplomacy of cruise ships –
Trump – and Russian President Vladimir Putin – both decided not to participate in the rally, leaving behind Xi, who arrived two days earlier to open a China-funded school and road in the capital of Papua New Guinea. New Guinea, the poor capital of clay.
Xi was the star of the show, in the foreground of the official photos, while Pence kept the profile low, deciding only at the last minute to spend the night in Port Moresby – putting on The original plans to fly from Cairns to Australia.
As for countering the Chinese largesse, in the United States, Australia, New Zealand and Japan on Sunday announced a plan to increase electricity capacity in Papua New Guinea.
The project aims to increase the percentage of the PNG population with access to electricity from 13 percent to 70 percent.
And while the United States and China were struggling to gain influence in the region, the declaration foreshadowed the prospect of similar projects for countries that "support the principles and values that help maintain and promote a free region, open, prosperous and governed by rules ".
As the official activities of the summit are relatively unimportant, the focus has been on the unlikely venue of Port Moresby, which is hosting its first international event of this magnitude.
The city is in solitary confinement with hundreds of police and military patrol the streets of the capital notoriously prey to crime.
The warships are stationed near the coast to ensure the safety of the leaders. Delegates and media were lodged in huge cruise ships due to lack of hotel rooms.
In the tradition of APEC, the leaders donned the local costume for the gala dinner
In the tradition of APEC, the leaders donned the local costume for the gala dinner
APEC delegates and media were lodged aboard cruise ships due to a shortage of hotel rooms in the PNG capital Port Moresby
The APEC summit has been eclipsed by an unusually strong exchange of words between the US and China
