APEC ministers end talks after wrangling over trade wording for US

By Reuters/A. Ananthalakshmi November 9, 2017 | 01:09 am PT

Trade ministers and delegates from the remaining members of the Trans Pacific Partnership (TPP) attend the TPP Ministerial Meeting ahead of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) leaders summit in the central Vietnamese city of Da Nang on November 9, 2017. Photo by AFP/Na Son Nguyen

'There were diverse views, but we were able to conclude with very good outcome, which reflects the interests of all APEC economies.'

Ministers from Asia-Pacific countries ended their meeting on Thursday with a "very good outcome", despite differing views on trade and protectionism, Vietnamese Trade Minister Tran Tuan Anh told a news conference.

Talks among trade and foreign ministers from Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) countries on a communique for leaders were extended into a second day in the face of U.S. demands for changes to the language used concerning issues such as free trade and protectionism, officials at the talks said.

"There were diverse views, but we were able to conclude with very good outcome, which reflects the interests of all APEC economies," the Vietnamese minister said, referring specifically to trade and protectionism.