LIMA: With Donald Trump’s imminent return to the US presidency looming over the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit in Lima, China’s Xi Jinping said that the region should push for more free trade as Asia-Pacific cooperation faces “rising protectionism”, according to Chinese state media.

“We should dismantle the high wall that divides the flow of trade, investment, technology and services, and maintain a stable and smooth industrial supply chain,” Xi said on Saturday, according to a transcript of the speech published by state television CCTV.