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Outside In | As the US pursues unilateralism, China faces challenging task as Apec host
China’s return as Apec chair is an opportunity to show that both the organisation and its message of multilateralism are as relevant as ever
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For the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (Apec) forum, which in 2026 will be under China’s leadership for the first time in 12 years, the critical challenge for the year ahead rests at the end of its name – economic cooperation.
Never in its 36-year history has the 21-member grouping’s challenges been so daunting. US President Donald Trump’s unilateralist agenda and assault on multilateral institutions and the principles of multilateral cooperation have threatened Apec’s mission to encourage cooperation across the Asia-Pacific.
As China’s Deputy Foreign Minister Ma Zhaoxu said at Apec’s informal meeting for senior officials in Shenzhen two weeks ago: “Rising protectionism and anti-globalisation trends have created many uncertainties and challenges, placing pressure on economic growth and leaving difficult issues that are hard to address.”
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As an ardent promoter of multilateralism and international cooperation on trade and investment, China will undoubtedly use its time as Apec chair to urge cooperation wherever possible. Beijing does the same in other multilateral organisations, not just the World Trade Organization (WTO) but also groupings such as the Brics bloc of developing nations, the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation and its own Belt and Road Initiative.
That said, Apec has distinct leverage. As South Korea’s Foreign Minister Cho Hyun wrote in Global Asia in September, “Apec’s non-binding, consensus-driven design, envisioned by Apec’s founders, fosters candid exchanges that other forums often cannot.”
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China’s immediate challenge is obvious. Trump’s tariff war is focused acutely on China and its record US$1 trillion trade surplus. His perception is that China’s recent economic ascent has been at the expense of US manufacturing, so a collaborative Apec agenda will be difficult to define and even more difficult to deliver. China’s modest 2026 priorities of “openness, innovation and cooperation” will be easier said than done.
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