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Tensions reached boiling point at the weekend’s Economic Cooperation summit in Papua New Guinea after the US demanded references to the World Trade Organisation (WTO) and its possible reform and “unfair trade practices” be included in a joint communique following the summit. But the situation quickly escalated when Chinese diplomats turned up uninvited to meet Papua New Guinea’s foreign minister, Rimbink Pato, to demand his support. Mr Pato said Chinese officials had wanted to see him, but refused, because they had not made "necessary arrangements". One source said: “Police were posted outside the minister’s office after they tried to barge in.”

Asia-Pacific leaders failed to agree on a joint summit on Sunday for the first time in their history as deep divisions between the US and China over trade and investment stymied cooperation. The row comes after China's top diplomat, Wang Yi, objected to two paragraphs in a draft of the summit statement. One mentioned opposing "unfair trade practices" and reforming the WTO, while another concerned sustainable development. The diplomat said: ”These two countries were pushing each other so much that the chair couldn't see an option to bridge them.

US-China trade relations reached boiling point over the weekend

US-China trade war: Leaders failed to reach an agreement

Police were posted outside the minister’s office after they tried to barge in

“China was angered that the reference to WTO blamed a country for unfair trade practices." Key issues such as climate change and development at the summit were largely sidelined by a war of words between the superpowers on trade policy. During a blunt speech, US Vice President Mike Pence warned there would be no end to US tariffs on $250billion (£195billion) of Chinese goods until China changed its ways. As he left the capital of Port Moresby, he listed US differences with China, saying: "They begin with trade practices, with tariffs and quotas, forced technology transfers, the theft of intellectual property.

“It goes beyond that to freedom of navigation in the seas, concerns about human rights.” With both Washington and Beiing unyielding, Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) leaders failed to agree on a communique for the first time in the forum's history. Speaking after the 21 members of the APEC group could not agree, Papua New Guinea Prime Minister Peter O'Neill admitted ”the entire world is worried" about tensions between the two superpowers. He said: "You know the two big giants in the room.” The multilateral trade order, that APEC was established in 1989 to protect, is crumbling as Chinese assertiveness in the Pacific and US tariffs strain relations in the region and divide loyalties.

US-China trade war: The summit was dominated by the two superpowers