Washington pushes ‘America First’ agenda in Apec talks ahead of Chinese leader’s visit

The United States has pledged to adopt an "America First" strategy during the forthcoming Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (Apec) discussions, occurring in China just prior to President Xi Jinping's visit. The US State Department affirmed, "US leadership in Apec is a crucial aspect of pursuing America First policies, promoting prosperity, and enhancing economic growth in the United States and the region by removing obstacles for US businesses, advancing fair and reciprocal trade, and promoting American job creation."

Senior US official Casey Mace spearheaded the Apec efforts, aiming to open up new prospects for American businesses in sectors such as agriculture and fisheries, energy, transport, health, and food security. The US also vowed to promote services exports, supply-chain innovation, and lead discussions on trade and labor issues.

Trade is anticipated to be a primary topic during Xi's imminent visit to the US, as both nations endeavor to stabilize relations following last year's tariff conflict. Earlier this year, Xi hosted President Donald Trump in Beijing, leading to agreements on US-China trade and investment boards, though the latter remains unimplemented.

The Apec senior officials' summit, taking place in the port city of Dalian, commenced last week and is set to conclude on Friday, uniting over 2,300 delegates from member states. The event comprises nearly 130 sessions addressing trade, transport, food security, customs, technology, energy, and health, establishing the foundation for the Apec summit in Shenzhen in November.

Ruth Perry, a top US official focusing on ocean, fisheries, and polar affairs, will chair a workshop showcasing American innovations like satellite monitoring as part of Apec's efforts to curb illegal fishing and marine waste. Meanwhile, Zhang Baofeng, deputy head of China's General Administration of Customs, urged Apec nations to eliminate trade barriers and alleviate cross-border bottlenecks amid surging global supply chains, stating at a meeting in Dalian on Saturday.

Zhang emphasized the pressing need to harmonize rules and standards and fortify supply-chain resilience, asserting that "never has the necessity of aligning rules and standards and strengthening supply-chain resilience been more urgent." Zhang advocated for improved regulatory coordination, reduced transaction costs, and more efficient customs procedures to foster a safer, more transparent, and predictable business environment.