Chile scraps hosting APEC as riots rage
Chile has pulled out of hosting the APEC summit. World leaders, including President Trump, were planning on attending.
President Piñera announced that #APEC, set for November and #COP25, set for December, will not be held in the country.
Chile has been marred by protestors and unrest, likely contributing to the decision. Police and protestors clashed, as reported by Reuters, as reforms by the government fell short.
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An anti-government protester throws a rock at police in Santiago, Oct. 29, 2019. (AP Photo/Esteban Felix)
President Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping were expected to attend and to sign Phase One of the U.S.-China trade agreement. It is unclear when or where the summit will be held, if at all. The White House was not informed of the decision in advance, FOX Business has learned.
In a statement, White House Principal Deputy Press Secretary Hogan Gidley said:
“As of now, it appears APEC will not occur in Chile, and it's our understanding the organization does not currently have a secondary site prepared. We’re awaiting potential information regarding another location.”
ON PHASE ONE OF THE HISTORIC TRADE DEAL WITH CHINA:
“We look forward to finalizing Phase One of the historic trade deal with China within the same time frame, and when we have an announcement, we’ll let you know.”
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