**Xi Jinping Emerges as Global Advocate for Free Trade**

Chinese President Xi Jinping has taken a strong stance against protectionism, advocating for free trade and a rules-based system at the APEC CEO Summit in Peru. This move comes as US President-elect Donald Trump threatens to impose tariffs on China and the rest of the world. Xi's speech emphasized the importance of tearing down trade barriers and promoting economic circulation globally.

**Background**

This development follows a similar stance taken by Xi in 2017, when he urged global business elites to reject trade wars and protectionism at the World Economic Forum in Davos. Trump's punitive tariffs on China have been largely maintained by the Biden administration, with Trump now threatening to impose even higher tariffs on China and the rest of the world.

**Reactions**

New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon emphasized the importance of a rules-based system, while former Chinese Commerce Ministry official Ren Hongbin called for participants to "stand up to protectionism and unilateralism." Global trade leaders are closely watching these developments, with market participants and investors following the trajectory of US-China relations.

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Source: https://www.wionews.com/business-economy/xi-emerges-as-global-advocate-for-free-trade-countering-trump-776824