APEC

For the first time, leaders of 21 Asia-Pacific economies have failed to issue a joint communique, as tensions between the US and China over trade and investment poisoned their annual summit.

Washington will not change its pressure tactics against Beijing until it bows to US terms, Vice President Mike Pence said at an APEC summit, where members loudly denounced protectionism and sanctions as threats to global trade.

Contrary to previous reports that a meeting between Vladimir Putin and Donald Trump would take place at the sidelines of the APEC summit, the White House has announced that there will be no official talks between the two leaders.

Philippines President Rodrigo Duterte said he skipped an evening event at a recent APEC summit to avoid meeting his US counterpart Barack Obama, whom he has targeted with offensive remarks on several occasions.

Vladimir Putin and Barack Obama discussed the stalling peace process in Ukraine and continuing conflict in Syria during a brief meeting on the margins of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit in Peru.

This year's APEC summit in Beijing totally rocked - in the sense that it not only landed some historic deals, but also amused onlookers, censors and critics. Between #shawlgate and a gum-chewing President Obama, there was a lot to talk about.