US brushes off Chinese criticism of APEC goals

US Trade Representative Ron Kirk said that the US is looking to “push the envelope” at this week’s Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit, brushing off criticism from China that US goals are too ambitious, Bloomberg reported. The US is pushing to lower tariffs on environmental goods and services with 20 APEC nations. “I understand China may be uncomfortable with it,” Kirk said. “We’re always going to try to push the envelope and encourage our partners to be more assertive, more forward-thinking. We don’t serve the interests of American entrepreneurs and innovators if we go in and always see the floor as the highest level of ambition.” Wu Hailong, China’s assistant foreign minister, said earlier this week that the US trade liberalization goal is “too ambitious and is beyond the reach of developing economies.”