APEC SUMMIT: US, China in heated exchange over trade dispute

The United States of America and China are again at war over trade as both countries were involved in a heated exchange at the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC).

Speaking at the summit, Chinese President Xi Jinping warned that economic protectionism is overshadowing global growth and urged countries to pursue free trade policies.

“One who chooses to close his door will only cut himself off from the rest of the world and lose his direction,” Xi told a summit of Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) chief executives on Saturday.

The Chinese President also urged the world to “say no to protectionism and unilateralism”, warning it was a “short-sighted approach” that was “doomed to failure”.

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In his reply, US Vice President Mike Pence revealed at the summit that Washington will not change its approach until Beijing changes its own trade policies.

Pence also noted that the US could double the tariffs already imposed on Chinese goods.

“We have taken decisive action to address our imbalance with China,” he said. “We put tariffs on $250bn in Chinese goods, and we could more than double that number.”

“The US will not change course until China changes its ways.”

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