China objects to US proposal for APEC trade and investment policies: Report

China is objecting to a US proposal for Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) members to incorporate sustainability and inclusivity into their trade and investment policies, a source briefed on the negotiations said on Wednesday (Nov 15).

China is objecting to a US proposal for Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) members to incorporate sustainability and inclusivity into their trade and investment policies, a source briefed on the negotiations said on Wednesday (Nov 15).

Talks on the issue were continuing at the APEC summit in San Francisco to try to find language that the group's 21 member states could agree on, the source said.

US Trade Representative Katherine Tai told a trade-focused plenary meeting she hoped the proposal, dubbed by the Biden administration as the San Francisco Principles for Integrating Inclusivity and Sustainability into Trade and Investment Policy could be still be finalized.

Tai said the US-led effort was "supported by all economies but one and, as such, it is unclear if APEC will fulfill that mandate. Nonetheless, I remain optimistic that economies will finalize the San Francisco Principles soon".