Asia-Pacific leaders coudn't issue traditional communique at APEC forum: Official

A Chinese official said on Sunday that Asia-Pacific leaders could not issue the traditional communique at the end of the regional APEC forum, held in Papua New Guinea (PNG).

PNG will instead issue a "chairman's statement", said Zhang Shaogang, director-general of China's international department at the Ministry of Commerce.

Conflicting visions for the region had made it difficult to draft a summit communique, PNG Foreign Minister Rimbink Pato told Reuters earlier on Sunday, as the United States and China revealed competing ambitions for the region.