President Xi Jinping has criticised increasing protectionism around the world in favour of economic globalisation, something he says China is taking a lead on, Reuters reports.
His comments, made over the weekend at the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit in the Peruvian capital Lima, were seen as indicative of Beijing’s stance on the next US administration’s expected trade policies – which incoming President Donald Trump has said could involve tariffs of up to 60 percent on Chinese imports.
“The world has entered a new period of turmoil and change, unilateralism and protectionism are spreading, the fragmentation of the world economy has intensified,” Xi said, in a speech read out by commerce minister Wang Wentao on Friday.
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“China will implement more independent and unilateral opening-up policies, expand the network of high-standard free trade zones facing the world, and open even further the door into China.”
While in Peru, Xi and Peruvian President Dina Boluarte inaugurated the Chancay mega port – described as a milestone in China-Peru cooperation under Beijing’s signature Belt and Road Initiative by Chinese state media.
At Thursday’s inauguration ceremony, Xi said that he was ready to work with Peru to build a new land-sea corridor between China and Latin America, with the Chancay Port as a starting point. Preliminary plans to build an e-commerce distribution centre in Chancay for Chinese merchandise were reportedly discussed on the sidelines of the APEC CEO Summit.
