China’s international trade representative Li Chenggang opened the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) trade ministers’ meeting on Friday, urging regional economies to “send a strong message to the world” in support of cooperation, News.Az reports, citing CNBC.

Li stated that he was chairing the opening session on behalf of China’s Commerce Minister Wang Wentao, who was unable to attend due to “urgent official business.”

One participant at the meeting later told CNBC that the minister was expected to return.

Li serves as China’s international trade representative and also holds the position of vice commerce minister, giving him ministerial-level rank.

The APEC trade ministers’ meeting, scheduled to conclude on Saturday, comes roughly one week after U.S. President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping held talks in Beijing. Following that meeting, China agreed to place its first major order of Boeing aircraft in nearly a decade and to purchase $17 billion worth of U.S. agricultural products annually through 2028.

Li said that although APEC is not a negotiation platform, it should still serve a guiding role in economic and trade discussions.

“For consensus that has already been achieved, [APEC] should accelerate implementation and see results early,” he said.

The United States delegation at the meeting is led by Ambassador Rick Switzer, Deputy United States Trade Representative.

The United States is one of the 12 founding members of APEC, which was established in 1989 in Australia as an informal forum for discussions on free trade and economic cooperation. The organization has since expanded to 21 members, including China, Hong Kong, and “Chinese Taipei,” which joined in 1991.

News.Az 

By Nijat Babayev