China won't engage in decoupling or form small circle, says Xi Jinping

Xi's speech made no mention of the U.S. and offered passing allusions to mounting protectionism and unilateralism

President Xi Jinping pledged that China wouldn’t engage in decoupling, in an address to Asia-Pacific leaders in Kuala Lumpur just days after the region inaugurated the world’s largest free-trade agreement.

Xi’s speech during Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summits Thursday came as he -- and the world -- await clues on how U.S. President-elect Joe Biden will approach the region. The White House declined to say Wednesday whether President Donald Trump plans to address the gathering in Malaysia, held virtually this year because of the pandemic.

“We will not reverse course or run against the historical trend by ‘decoupling’ or forming a small circle